Restless Love
by yoshidagirls
Summary: We were born to live. We were born to dream. Our fate is to die. Our mision is to love... but what would happen if you became a vampire and you were in denial, thinking that everything is screw up? Would you still have that tiny hope of finding love? Alec/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there beautiful people! This is my first fanfic so I really hope you like it!**

**I'm gonna _write_ this just THIS time**

**I do NOT own anytthing of Twilight besides the plot, some OOCs and my OC. OK? Good**

**Enjoy.**

**Yoshida Hotaru.**

* * *

I finally arrived. Volterra. Gorgeous as I imagined, and it seemed that the city was very popular. Loads of people walked back and forth everywhere.

An ancient-like place caught my attention. It was really big and there was a crowd outside the entrance. Next to the door, hiding in the shadow, was a beautiful pale woman in a red dress greeting everyone who walked through the door. Just like Alistair described everything. Her reddish brown hair matched her skin tone and complexion._ Mahogany_, I heard my mother's voice saying in my head, _that's the color of my hair, darling, just like the wood_.

I made my way through the crowd and before I could enter the place, I stopped myself, just a meter away from the door. I looked inside, thinking.

"Dear" I heard her smooth voice with a peculiar accent, and I felt how she placed her hand over my shoulder. I turned my gaze to her pale face and crimson eyes. "Where are your parents?" she asked, hiding not to well her smirk.

"I-I'm lost" I lied. I suddenly felt attracted by this woman, like if I was a bee and she was the honey. I felt attracted to the place, to whatever was inside it; I felt the necessity to enter there.

"Oh, maybe they are inside" she suggested, pointing with her index the entrance "let's do something" she said a little gleeful, like if she was talking to a toddler "why don't you take the tour to look if they are inside and if they are not there, you can maybe wait inside until they come for you" she smirked, very widely.

I gave her a thoughtful look for a moment, and then I turned around to see to the opposite direction of the entrance. I saw the people walking back and forth everywhere. _Why this happened to me? I wish I could be human again and not a…monster…a killer…a beast…a vampire._

The sunlight touched the tip of my pale nose a few seconds before I covered my face more with the hood. I didn't want that people find out the real me, the monster I was. But I missed the sense of warm and heat hitting in my face in those sunny days. Now, the only thing I feel like heat is the horrible constant burning in my throat.

I entered the big place to take the trip that would guide me to _them_. I followed some tourists, trying to act like I was one of them. HA! Like if I could. I started to perceive the aroma of them, the aroma of their delicious blood. They smelt so good, but I had to resist. _Self-control, Raen, you are not a killer_, I said to myself.

Waiting I saw all the humans that surrounded me. I saw some of them were so excited to be there, others were just taking pictures of everything around them, but a couple attracted my attention from the entire crowd. Two lovers, they looked like my parents, so fell for each other. I got upset for them; they didn't even know where they were: IN HELL. She suddenly smothered him with kisses. I smiled to myself for a moment. They were so fell in love that I felt envy.

The trip began and I tried to stay at the bottom of the group, right behind the couple of lovers, getting more and more upset, with the thoughts of my parents filling my mind. I missed them, I missed the so much. If I could cry, I would do it at that moment. I closed my eyes for a moment; the thought of that awful day covered my mind, that day when they died, that day when they were murdered. I opened my eyes, scared. Then I look straight at the couple, and I saw how he took her hand gently but also with soft passion, then she rested her head on his shoulder, making the space between them disappear. The sadness started to fill my entire soulless body. I started to think that I would never fall in love, that I would never get someone that would love me the same way I would love him, that I would always be alone, that I would always be a monster. _What a pessimistic, negative girl_, I sighed as I mentally yelled to myself. Now I wonder why I didn't tell them to run, to scape, and the only thing now is that I didn't.

Finally, we reached the entrance of somewhere – to hell, I would say. Everyone was so excited at the moment. The woman in the red dress opened the great door and ordered everyone to enter, her red eyes lit up and her lips turned into a wicked, mischievous grin. Before she could catch me staring at her, I turned my gaze to see that great room. It was amazingly big and old, with sepia tone walls and pillars. It was very old-fashioned and really gorgeous. At the moment I thought I had traveled through time, I thought that I was in some beautiful ruin. It made you feel like nothing bad was going to happen, it made your worries that something bad would happen disappear, but something really bad was going to happen, and no one could stop that.

The sound of the doors closing interrupted behind me my thoughts. It didn't pass half a second when the screams of pain and scare began to fill the entire room. I barely notice when the woman in the red dress passed next to me. Then I noticed three men standing up in front of three fancy chairs, just 2 of them looked young, 19 years old, maybe 20; the blond one looked older, 40 years old maybe. The three men moved to the middle of the room and started to kill. There were like ten or eleven more of them, all with red eyes. Red like the blood that they were sucking. There was no mercy reflected in their faces, just pure ambition and desire. That made me sick. It was just sick. I saw with sadness and compassion a toddler crying for his mom, who was being killed by one of the red-eyed.

I searched with my eyes the couple. I wanted to see them one last time. They were hiding in a corner of the great room, holding hands. I ignored every noise, every scream, and every cry, just to hear what he was saying to her. "I love you" he said "and I always will" he gave her a softly kiss on the forehead "Now run to the exit and don't look back. Don't stop for me".

More tears rolled down her cheeks "Don't do this to me" she begged.

He kissed her on her pink lips "I love you" he repeated.

"I love you, too" she whispered, wiping the tears that moistened her cheeks.

I stared at him when he began to scream. I knew he was doing that to distract the red-eyed to give her chance to escape. I closed my eyes, I knew what would happen. My dad did the same thing that day just to save us, but it didn't work, they are too fast. A cry of pain broke everything. I knew the scream came from the other side of the room. I knew it was him. At the second, I heard someone gasped and formed a tiny _no _while panting next to me. I knew it was her. I heard how she tried to open the door, but apparently it was closed. She tried again and again, but it was too late. They were faster. And I heard a gasp again next to me that in a couple of seconds it turned in a painful scream.

The blood scent started to reach my spot very fast. It entered through my nostrils. It was so good, so delicious… so tempting. At the moment I got the desire to attack, to kill. I took three steps backwards and laid my back in the door. _Stop! _I told myself _you can't kill, you're not a killer… you have to have self-control… you can control yourself… you can…_

I didn't move for a moment. I dug my nails to the door – and tried not to break it apart in half – and clenched my teeth hard, only to "control" the horrible desire. I waited motionless to everything to stop.

The screams finished two minutes after, and a male voice said "That was refreshing"

I started to open my eyes slowly. The traumatic scene was in front of me. All the bled bodies were lying face down on the floor, and fourteen red-eyed were standing between them. One of them was missing… Unconsciously, I saw to my right. There he was, standing a few inches from me.

"Someone is here" he said "I can feel… her" his voice full of suspicious. _CRAP! _I thought, worried. He obviously was talking about me. _But why he… they can't see me? _I asked to myself. He took a very deep breath, maybe feeling my scent. _The tracker! _I thought immediately, _the one that Alistair told me! _His voice snapped me from my thoughts "She's…" in a blink he appeared in front of me "HERE" he grabbed me by my neck; his soft, warm hand against the skin of my neck. In less than a second I was lying back down on the floor in front of the three men of the fancy chairs.

"Demetri, she is just a child" the middle one said but not in a worried tone. A smirk curved his lips.

The grip of Demetri's hand tightened, like if he wanted to strangle me. _Please do it and stop my suffering _I wanted to beg him.

"A newborn one" the blond one commented, emotionless. _Newborn?_

"Indeed, and with self-control" the third one said, his voice full of curiosity "Interesting" he added.

After a moment of "_thinking"_,the middle one spoke. "Release her, Demetri" he gestured Demetri to let me go. He did as well, pulling his soft and warm hand off my neck. I stood up fast and turned to face the three red-eyed dudes. "Tell me, dear, who did this to you and with what purposes?" he asked; his voice was monotone.

"I-I-I really don't know…" I answered. I tried to remember some details of that day, but at the same time I tried to forget it. Then I made a really weir face when I remembered something "Uhmmm… I think someone called her _Maria_" I said nervously.

"Maria?" the third one repeated.

"How long have you been like this, dear?" the middle one asked.

"Like… six months" I said.

"Who told you about us?" the middle one made a question again.

_God, is he one of the FBI or what? _This was getting odd. _What do they want to hear? _I thought. "A-Alistair, sir" I said

I remembered the night he found me walking alone in a street of England. He looked as old as the middle one and he tried to kill me, but when he found out that I was… how did they called me... oh yes, a newborn, he didn't, sadly. He told me that I had to hunt away from him. I told him I didn't need to hunt. He asked me why and I told him I wanted to die of hunger. He told me that I wouldn't die of that, he told me that I would just get a hideous burning in my throat and an uncontrollably desire of blood. He said to me that if I wanted to die, I had to visit the Volturi. I asked him who or what the Volturi were. He said they were the royalty of vampires, that they would kill me if I really wanted to or if I broke a law. I asked what the laws were. He told me all of them and before I could ask where the Volturi were, he told me that I could find them at Italy. More specific: Volterra.

Now that I think of that night, it was odd he never asked why I wanted to die. Maybe he wanted me dead…

"Read her mind" the blonde one said mischievously "Check if she is telling the truth or if she had broken a law" he smirked crookedly. I noticed his red eyes lit up sadistically.

Just a blink and the middle one was down right in front of me "You hand, dear, please"

I gave him my hand, the one _Maria _bit. He took it with both his hands, and at the second our skins made contact I felt how he was seeing my thoughts, and it felt weird. "Show me all" I heard his voice saying to me. I knew he wanted something specific. But… what?

I saw in my mind everything that happened the last six month and it didn't felt good, it was like everything was in front of my eyes but all was in my mind.

All stopped when the memory of that day appeared in my eyes, my mind and I knew in his, too.

I was like reviving it again and it hurt.

I was lying down on the grass, the venom running through my veins, burning them. There were hot tears filling my eyes. Dim lights passed through the branches and leaves of the trees. Three blur shadows moved fast from my mother's body to me. I heard screams. It was my family yelling my name, searching me. Maybe they have heard my dad yelling for help minutes ago. One of the shadows said "Maria we have to leave her… We have to go now…" Another shadow sighed. Maria. She said "Ok, but will regret this" with a Hispanic accent. My vision became more blurry. They left in a second. The screams were closer. I had to move. And before the memory continued everything went black. My mind, my vision, everything.

In a second I saw something I have never in my life thought, did or even saw. I saw a beautiful, gorgeous female with red eyes and dark wavy hair holding hands with… the third one… They were smiling and being happy together. Hiding in some place I saw the middle one, looking them furiously. His red eyes full of… envy?

The image changed to another. Purplish red fire was burning the beautiful girl. "Why…" I heard the voice of the middle one. I turned to look at him. His face was upset. _He didn't do this, did he? _I asked to myself, worried.

I felt how the link broke in our heads. He had pulled his hand. I saw his face, worried. _What the heck happened? _His crooked smirk was gone and he was looking at his hands with a blank stare.

I looked at everybody. They were all looking at us, their stares deadly and curious. They were questioning us with their piercing red eyes.

"What happened, Aro?" the third one asked him. I looked directly at him. _Does he know what happened to his girlfriend? _My eyes full of sad looked at him. He ignored me.

"You will see, my dear friend" Aro answered, looking up. He wasn't looking at me, but someone behind me. His crooked smirk came back to his pale lips. "Jane" he said, still looking beyond me. I turned and I saw a normal-size porcelain doll with pale brown hair and sadistic red eyes standing to another porcelain doll, but this one was male and with dark brown hair and blank red eyes. "Please" Aro continued, and she moved from where she was standing.

She looked at me with those piercing, sadistic red eyes. I looked her back, pretending not to be intimidated. I waited to whatever she would do to me.

Suddenly I felt the burning in my throat was expanding all over my body as if the venom returned to visit my veins. Her eyes lit up sadistically, like the blonde's eyes, and her lips crooked a creepy grin.

I closed my eyes, pressed my eyelids, clenched my teeth and tried not to scream. I was trying to resist the horrible pain she was producing. My hands became fists. I wanted to scream, I wanted to cry; I wanted to fall on the floor, grab my head with my hands, pull my hair with my fingers and scream my brain off.

After what felt like forever, the pain started to cease until it wasn't there anymore. I thought she was stopping the pain but I realized Aro never commanded her to stop it. It was weird; I didn't know what was happening to me.

I opened my eyes when I heard a scream. The porcelain girl was on the floor, screaming. I'm still wondering why she didn't stop the pain if she was causing it… I think she wasn't thinking at the moment because of the pain.

"Stop it, Jane" Aro ordered. I turn to him.

"Did… she… reflected… Jane's…?" the third one tried to find the correct words to what happened. He looked thrilled.

I looked back over my shoulder when I heard her name. She was standing next to the boy, like if she never moved, but when she looked at me, when we locked stares, her eyes lit up with anger. She hated me.

"Indeed, my friend" Aro said. The blonde smirked wickedly.

"_Reflected_? Like a… mirror?" my voice echoed. I was thrilled, too. "Are you gonna kill me for that?"

"Why would you think we will do that?" Aro asked.

"Cause that's why I'm here" I said, and he chuckled.

"Sorry, dear Raen, but your fate is not death" he said smirking.

"Aro, but why we didn't see her earlier?" the third one asked.

"She reflected me" a red-eyed said bitterly "when I tried to do some surprise attacks" he looked at me with anger.

"Interesting…" Aro "murmured".

"She will be very useful, Aro" the third one said.

"Indeed"

"But she will need to be trained" the blonde one said.

"I know, Caius" Aro said, a little annoyed.

"I will train her" a tall red-eyed with olive complexion said.

"Good, Felix" Aro said a little triumphant "and please tell Corin that Raen will need a cloak. A black-pearled one" he smirked.

"So… what are you gonna do to me?" my voice echoed again with a dumb question.

"Darling, you will stay us" another female red-eyed said by my side. She smirked and put a hand over my shoulder.

"Okay" I said stupidly, feeling attached to them.

She took me by my wrist, pressing her soft hand against my skin. She pulled me and I followed her. Before we got out of the room, I looked back over my shoulder. The entire room was clean. No blood, no bodies, just the red-eyed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello! I'm really sorry for the late update! I have a LOT to do! My apologies!**

**Thanks for the reviews and alerts! For me it means a lot! :)**

**Here's chapter 2... it's a little floppy... nothing happens... but I hope you like it...**

**Enjoy.**

**Yoshida Hotaru :)**

* * *

The hallway seemed dark compared with the glimmer of the great room. It was illuminated by dim lights in the roof. It made me feel like I was in some mine tunnel. I barely see the end of it; it seemed infinite.

"Raen, isn't it?"

"Uhh… yeah"

"I'm Chelsea…" she smirked. There was a brief pause before she started to speak again. "And when was the last time you drink blood?" she asked. I didn't like the way she said that word… blood… it made me nervous…

"I… oh… uhmmm…" I mumbled.

"Tell me when" she insisted. I knew I had to answer her.

I sighed defeated. "Not so long…" I lied.

I saw her smirked. _God, no! She knows I'm lying. _"You have to be thirsty" she commented.

"No…I'm-I'm fine…" I lied again and gave her a fake chuckle. "Why would you think that?" I chuckled falsely, nervously, again. _What a bad lair I am_, I thought. The burning in my throat was getting worse.

"Do not lie to me" _Crap… _"You ARE thirsty. Your eyes are black now. That means you have not drink blood in a long time" she said.

_My eyes… _I put my fingers over my cheekbone, gently rubbing the tips of my fingers against my skin. I remembered that I hadn't seen me in the mirror since that awful day. I never thought they had change color, I still thought they had that hazel color "How?" I asked curiously "I thought the only thing that…"

"The horrible burning in the throat?" she glanced back over her shoulder "That is part of it. And even if you drink blood, the burning will not leave" she grinned "But when your body needs to be feed, when it demands blood, because you have not drunk it in a long time, your eyes turn black" she smiled "Do not worry, kid, you will drink soon. And when that time come, they will turn red" she smirked wickedly.

"But I… don't mind not to drink blood" I said nervously, trying to forget the pain. Alistair's words echoed in my head: _If you don't drink blood, the burning in your throat will be stronger, it will be more painful and hideous, and the desire of blood will be uncontrollable._

"That is new" she was like talking to herself, saying this things out loud like I wasn't there "a vampire without the necessity of blood…" she paused a millisecond, like thinking what to say "Stupid" she snorted "And a newborn one…" I saw she rolled her eyes "worse than those stupid vegan vampires" she finished. _Gee, what a fierce_, I thought.

I wanted to say something… "Uh…" was the only thing that came out.

"Do not worry. After you taste blood" _Dammit, she knows _"and when you are done with your training, your ideals will be different" she smirked grimly "You will be a real vampire" I didn't know if she said that to herself or was a comment or what.

_Wait, what? So am I not a vampire yet? What am I, then? A DOG? _I really wanted to yell that to her, and more. But it wasn't the time to do it.

Two minutes, I think, had passed since we left the great room and in the way to… wherever we were going to, we found the tall red-eyed, Felix, going to where we were.

"Hurry" he said to my guide "Corin is waiting" he looked at me right in the eyes. I felt like his piercing red eyes penetrated my nonexistent soul. "And you know that she does not like to wait" he said to her again over his shoulder with a smirk. Then he just disappeared.

After some seconds, after we advanced more (stupid infinite hallways) and felt this urge to ask "When?"

"When what?" she looked at me with a raised eyebrow and a confused glare.

"My training. When will it start?" I asked more clearly.

"At night" she said with a smirked.

_When the sun touch the ground and no one can see you sparkle. _I sighed. I started to think of my parents. I missed them… Stupid melancholy. Then, there it was, the stupid awkward silence. I tried to remember Maria's face. I knew I saw it but I didn't know why I couldn't remember. I wanted to know with what purpose she bit me. At that moment a memory hit me, a memory that Aro didn't see. I remembered that when we were face to face with the three monsters, one of them said "We have to kill them first, and then we can take her".

I woke up from my thoughts when I didn't feel her hand against my wrist anymore. She had left me and in front of a big wooden door. _Dammit_. I took an unnecessary breath and hold it. I was nervous, and that wasn't a good sign. I sighed and knocked as softly as I could.

The big wood door swung slowly to the inside.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice echoed inside the room.

"You are late" a woman appeared at the door. She had straight dark brown hair over her shoulders and red eyes. Her face was familiar to me.

"Uhmmm…" I mumbled "I'm sorry" I apologized.

"You made me wait here like a life" she whined and narrowed her red eyes "next time you should be faster" she said, taking my wrist and pulling me inside the room.

"Do not yell her, please Corin. She is just a kid" another voice said. It was from a woman, a fair-headed one, which was sitting on a sofa. Next to her was another blonde. They looked familiar, too.

Then it hit me. I remember them, and Corin, too. They were at the great room, but they left before… I don't know when. They left so fast I didn't even notice until I saw Jane.

"That does not mean she will do whatever she wants to do" Corin said bitterly.

"I'm really, really sorry. It would not happen again" I promised.

"Don't be sorry, sweetie. This just happened once, okay?" the soft voice of the other blonde echoed. I nodded nervously and Corin sighed in disbelief.

Corin moved from her place and in a blink she appeared in front of me with dark clothes in her hands "Here" she handed me the dark robes "you have to change your clothes. Aro's orders" she saw me from head to toes with a disgusting glint in her red eyes "I have to go. Jael and Toris are outside" she smirked and disappeared through the wooden doors.

_Someone has to explain me this thing about the eye-color change._

* * *

"Corin" Aro greeted her with a smirk "Heidi is going to arrive soon with… _our meal_"

She moved next to Felix, the place where she always waited.

"So, you met Raen, didn't you?" Caius asked. She nodded.

"Wonderful" Aro cheered. "Something unusual between her and _your_ gift?"

"Why? What do you mean?" she asked curious.

"Well, you see, my dear, this kid has a similar gift like Bella's" Aro smiled crookedly.

"She… has a mental shield?" she was perplex. What a new…

"Not exactly a shield, dear. A mental mirror, in fact" Caius smirked grimly when Aro said that "You see, when she protects herself, mentally, she also reflects the gift…"

"Can I ask how do you know this?" Corin interrupted Aro. Such a disrespectful brat.

"Oh dear" Aro smiled "she saw one of my memories when I was seeing her thoughts" his grin faded for a second. Corin looked at him with widened eyes.

"She also reflected Jane's and Afton's" Marcus added with his depressed voice. Jane flinched at my side when she heard her name. Even if she didn't show her emotions to anyone, I knew she didn't like this girl, Raen, and how she affected her with her own gift.

"Afton's?" Corin was still amazed with all the information she was receiving.

"Yes, since she entered the room until we finished… _our work_" Aro smirked when he said the last part. "Apparently, she didn't know about her gift and she has used it unconsciously"

"And do you know why Maria bit her?" that question attracted everyone's attention, including mine. They never even mentioned the reason.

"Maybe, she still has that newborn army…" Aro commented, his grin never fading.

"I think she needs one of our visits" a sadistic grin appeared in Caius's lips.

* * *

"You look adorable, darling" blonde #1 commented after I changed my clothes.

"But why you didn't change your shoes, sweetie?" blonde #2 giggled. When blonde #1 looked down and saw that I was still wearing my Converse, she bursted in giggles.

"I think it's enough the fact that I'm wearing a skirt and tights" I said, smiling and taking a seat between them.

"Oh darling. What a special thing you are" blonde #1 giggled. She put her pale hand over my head and began to stroke me.

"So, sweetie, what is your name?" blonde #2 asked after a brief moment.

"Raen" I said proud "Raen Witt"

"That's a very interesting name" blonde #1 commented with a warm smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

"And how old are you, sweetie?" blonde #2 made a question again.

"Twelve" I said with a small smile.

"Awww, darling, you are so young" blonde #1 said.

"But you know, Athenodora, I am amazed that Aro still has not called her to go back there with them" blonde #2 said to Athenodora.

"Oh, Sulspicia, I think maybe it is because she needs to know about us and our coven first" Athenodora told Sulspicia.

"Oh, yes" Sulspicia cheered "We are going to tell her stories"

It was funny. They were thrilled. They were talking joyfully like I wasn't there. They started to stroke me again with their pale and delicate hands, and then they started to untangle my hair with their skillful fingers.

"She will be like the daughter we never had" Athenodora cheered. Those words made my dead heart sink. It hurt… the fact that I remembered my parents hurt…

I knew they noticed I wasn't all right when they stopped chattering and playing with my hair. I looked down.

"What is wrong, sweetie?" Sulspicia's soft voice rang in my ears.

"It's…" for a moment I was going to tell them "It's nothing" I finally spoke out with a sigh.

"Owww, darling" they both hugged me tightly, at the same time "Tell us, what is it?"

"I missed them" I sighed.

"Your parents…" Sulspicia guessed.

I nodded and hugged them back.

"Owww, sweetie. Do not worry. _We_ will make you feel comfortable in here" Sulspicia gave me a warm smile that made me feel better.

After a few milliseconds they started to play with my hair again, tying it into braids.

Then my mind reminded me of something.

"I think it's time for a story…" I voiced.

"About what, darling?" Athenodora asked.

I looked her in her eyes "Can you tell me about our eyes?" I asked her "y'know, why they change color?"

"Oh, well" Athenodora began "It is a little simple… It depends on our age and our diet…"

"Age? Diet?"

"Let us explain" Sulspicia put her hand over my shoulder.

"Yes, our age and our diet…" Athenodora continue "When you are a newborn, your eyes are bright red; if you drink _human _blood…"

"_Human_?" I thought out loud, interrupting her.

She nodded before she spoke again "they will still be red, more vivid as you continue drinking it…"

"But if you drink _animal _blood" Sulspicia started to explain now. They both giggled when I looked at her amazed. _So there's another option_, I thought "They will turn golden, lighter as you continue with… this _type_ of blood" she said the last part with disdain.

Now I was perplexed. _Golden? Wow. _"Those vampires with golden eyes are known by the name of _vegetarian vampires_" Athenodora said with contempt.

"We respect their decision of not wanting to drink human blood, but we do not like it at all" Sulspicia added with a serious expression.

"Oh!" Athenodora voiced after a moment, and made me jumped quite a bit "We almost forgot. When you are thirsty, your eyes turn black. If your thirst grows, your eyes get darker" she finished.

"Like yours right now. They are black as coal" Sulspicia smiled.

"Oh…" was the only thing that escaped from my mouth. I really thought my eyes were still hazel.

After some seconds, I started to hear something… _someone _coming.

The doors opened wide, reveling Corin at the other side. Her red eyes glimmered mischievously and her lips wore a crooked grin. She looked right at me.

"What?" I blurted without thinking. Her grin got wider. It reminded me of the Cheshire cat and not in a good way.

"Aro needs your presence" she said with glee in her voice. That request didn't sound good to me. I stood up nervously "The presence of the three of you" she looked now at Sulspicia and Athenodora. They both stood up and grabbed my hands. I knew they supported me. "Raen, there is a surprise for you" her red eyes lit up with mischief and she locked them with mine. I thought it was impossible but her grin got wider.

_This is not good._


	3. Chapter 3

**Yello! Well this time I didn't receive too much love (ouch...right in the feels) but I'm gonna update this anyway (because I know there are people reading this)! **

** I'm really sorry I'm updating one chapter by month but I'm really busy (school, homework, projects, exams...) **

**Anyway! Here's chapter 3! Read & Review!**

**Oh! Enjoy, too!**

**Yoshida Hotaru! :)**

* * *

Walking down the dimed-lit hallway, leaded by Corin, the silence felt heavy and palpable, and the hallway felt longer and timeless. _Stupid nerves_.

Sulspicia and Athenodora were at my left and right respectively. The two guards, Jael and Toris – still didn't know who was who – were walking behind us, like, obviously, normal bodyguards, but with this hint that they were trying to prevent your escape. _Escape? Why would I? This place is a paradise,_ I thought sarcastically and rolled my eyes annoyed just by the thought of this place been a _paradise_. I snorted mentally. It was just stupid to think I would escape 'cause they would obviously find me with the help of the tracker, Demetri, anyway.

I looked over my shoulder to look where we came from and I started to notice the olive-skinned woman guard – I assumed it was Jael – was lowing her track. _Why? _I wondered but then I noticed he reason when I turned my gaze to the front again. Forward, just some meters away, was entrance to our destination. To whatever it was the surprise they had prepared for me. I looked over my shoulder one last time and tried to concentrate on her features but the only thing I could look directly were her eyes. Those red eyes gleaming in the blue, blankly, emotionlessly. I gulped unconsciously.

Corin cracked the doors open and I held my breath, even if I knew I didn't need air at all.

It took me a millisecond to adjust my sight to the bright light that illuminated the room.

Then I saw something I wish never to have seen.

Standing in the center of the room was… a person, a man to be exactly. He was tall and young, and he seemed scared, frightened. He was looking everywhere with dark eyes wide open full of fear. He kept looking until our gazes locked. I moved the pity I felt for him away and gave him an emotionless look.

I knew he was the surprise they had for me. And I disliked it.

I couldn't keep looking at him in the eyes. It didn't feel right. It made me feel cynical…

I looked around at everyone and I noticed that there were missing some red-eyed and that every red-eyed in the room have this expectation plastered in every faction of their faces.

"I…have to…?" I asked them nervously, but it was more a question for me.

_You are one of them, too? _the man mouthed with fright eyes. I looked straight at him again and nodded slowly.

"Please, Raen" Aro said with a smirk on his lips and he gestured me to proceed in the _thing _I needed to do. Drink the man's blood "You need blood"

I didn't want to kill the poor man. Just looking at him made me sad. He was so afraid he was shaking like a Chihuahua, he was sweaty and he looked like a cornered mouse. But inside of me I just wanted to attack. And he smelt really, really good.

I approached to him, leaving my spot between Sulspicia and Athenodora behind, and took his arm. As a reflex, he closed his eyes. _Fast, _I told myself _Do it fast_. With the corner of my eye I saw a tear making its path down his cheek. I hesitated a little bit, but when I glanced up to face them – the three of them waiting for me to kill the man – I couldn't back off. _You can do this, you can do this, you can…_

My hand pulled up his wrist to my mouth before I could even think. My fangs pierced his skin, making him scream in pain. His blood made its path down my throat, ceasing the burning. It was smooth like silk and it had a sweet flavor. He didn't stop screaming and I noticed his other hand was placed over his arm like if he was trying to apply a tourniquet to stop the pain, to stop the blood from running through his veins.

His yells shut down. I have drained his blood out and it refreshed me. His lifeless body collapsed in the marble floor. I didn't feel weak anymore.

I looked at Aro in the eyes. He was smirking as always, but he was not the only one.

"More" I 'whispered'. I couldn't believe _I _was saying that.

"You will have more, but later" Caius was the one to respond.

"Meanwhile, you will stay here with us" Aro said with some poison in his voice.

"No, my beloved Aro" Sulspicia blurted, appearing at my left. _Beloved? She? Him? What?_

"Why not, my loved Sulspicia?" he demanded kindly.

"We want her to stay with us" Athenodora spoke out, suddenly at my right.

"My beloved Aro, we never demand you anything, but we really want her with us" Sulspicia said seriously.

"And we can teach her about our kind and our coven while she is with us" Athenodora added. Caius glared at her with piercing red eyes, but she was adamant.

The silence hit the room. I knew Aro was thinking, considering their request.

"Do you want to stay with them?" Aro finally asked me.

I nodded timidly. I really wanted to stay with them. Even if I just have met them like some hours ago, they've been kind and friendly with me, and I had the feeling they would make me feel like at home, in some sort of weird way.

"Well then, you can leave" Aro said with a bittersweet tone. He disliked my decision, I was sure of it. "Oh, Raen" he spoke again with a thoughtful tone this time, his voice echoing my name in the room. _He has must forgot something_. I- we turned around after he mentioned me "It is almost night and, as you can see, Felix is not here…" he pointed out and as I heard this I turned my gaze to look at the spot where he was supposed to be. He really wasn't there, neither was Demetri. _So they are the one missing _"So, you are going to train with…" he paused to think. He seemed to make this up at the very last minute "Alec! Thank you very much!" he exclaimed with a smirk. I turned my gaze again, this time to where Jane and her… brother or whatever… were supposed to be, but he was standing there alone, she had left, maybe with Felix and Demetri, he was astonish and his red eyes screamed consternation. At first he was looking straight at Aro but then his red eyes locked with mine and I felt something weird inside me, something I had never felt before, something new, something _alive_... and by how his expression softened, I could tell he felt the same thing "Alec…" he broke apart and looked again to Aro when he called his name. I did the same "You will help her. You will train her physically and mentally. You will her use and control her strength, her speed, her instincts and her gift correctly. Especially her gift. She needs to use it and control it consciously" Caius's eyes lit up mischievously as Aro explained every order to Alec. Alec only nodded when Aro finished "You will meet at the woods. Corin, please show Raen the path to the woods. And I think it is all clear, so you can really leave now"

"They are replacing her" Marcus commented after they left. His voice full of pain as always.

Aro flinched in his seat. He knew who Marcus was talking about. He didn't regret anything. He did not. He never did. And he would not start today. "They are not replacing Didyme, my friend" he comforted Marcus after a thoughtful second.

Marcus frowned. He liked the kid, he could not lie about that, but he still thought Sulspicia and Athenodora were trying to fill that empty hole his beloved Didyme left when she died.

After we left, we split. While Sulspicia and Athenodora went forward through the corridor with the two guards, Corin pulled me into another hallway I hadn't seen before.

We sped through the path she had to show me, and I tried to memorize it. Left, left, right, left, right, right, left… And after some more turns – the place was like a huge indoor labyrinth – we stopped into an intersection of two hallways. The right corridor wasn't so long and it hand a bronze door at the end. The left one seemed to have no end.

"I assume that's the doorway to the woods" I pointed out with my index the bronze door at the end of the right hallway.

"Yes" she answered simply.

"And, this hallway leads to…?" I asked her, pointing the left hallway.

"It leads to the wives' room if you keep straight forward" she indicated. _Wives? They are… their wives… really…?_

"This is like a labyrinth" I thought out loud.

"At the beginning, you feel it that way" she replied in a friendly way. I turned to look at her with disbelief and I saw I small but warm smile plastered on her lips. I smiled. She looked at me with the corner of her eye "What are you smiling at?" she shot back bitterly.

"Nothing" I looked to the door. I was taken aback but at least she was her bitter self again. "Corin…" I began nervously "can I go out now?" I asked and before she said a word I continued "I know it's not night yet, but… can I?"

She was thoughtful for two seconds, and after those two seconds she shrugged "Yes…" I smiled toothily and widely, like a 5-year-old child "It will be great to have time without you around again…" I rolled my eyes playfully and minimized my smile "Just do not expose yourself" she imposed.

"Thanks… I think" I turned and headed to the door before I heard her voice again.

"And please untie those braids. You look ridiculously human-like" she commanded me poisonously.

I froze. I forgot I had my hair tied in two braids Sulspicia and Athenodora made… And…Aro…saw…me…like that…and all of them… _GOD!_

"'Kay… sure" I 'murmured' sheepishly. If I could blush, I would have been as red as a tomato at that moment.

I grabbed my hair just to confirm her statement. _Maybe she's just messing with me…_ But no. They were there. It was still tie up into two braids. _Damn._

"Wait" I realized something "Are they really-" I turned to face her but she had already left me there "their wives…?" I sighed and continued my way to the door.

It was beautiful. It was made of dark bronze; its details and knob were also made of the same dark bronze.

I grabbed the doorknob softly and opened the door. The bright light of the sunset hit my eyes. The sunlight that passed through the branches and leaves of the trees made my skin sparkle.

I felt like a disco ball. I laughed at that thought. I was a mirror after all.

The forest was gorgeous and orange. It had a magic vibe. _Time to climb a tree_, I smiled.

I started walking but then I ran, searching for a good and stable tree. There were willow trees, pine trees, maple trees, fir trees, oak trees, sycamore trees, birch trees, walnut trees, alder trees, cypress trees, chestnut trees, elm trees, hickory trees, locust trees…

It was almost winter; the breeze has a delightful scent, the leaves were still in the process of fall off the trees, everything that was green in the summer was now yellow, orange, red, mahogany, brown, reddish-pink... every warm tone you can imagine.

The wind started to blow, announcing the night was coming, playing with the leaves and making some of them fall.

I knew it was a cool wind, but I felt nothing. I sighed and looked down while I walked again. _Crack, crack, crack_. Every time I stepped in the fallen leaves I heard how my feet made that sound and I saw meticulously how every leaf was broken. _Crack, crack, crack…_

I kept walking with my eyes on my feet, on those black Converses they obviously didn't like until I hit my head against a tree.

"Damn" I cursed but it didn't hurt one bit.

I looked up. This was the tree. _This is the one. It has to be._ I was an old, tall, strong, stable and thick sycamore tree. Almost all of its leaves had fallen off, leaving its braches exposed.

I started to climb. _Higher, higher, higher_, I pushed myself until I reach the very top of the tree. The view was priceless; it left me speechless. I could see the sun setting, the entire forest – and it was huge – and a quarter of Volterra from there.

I stared at the sun. Its last rays of light illuminated everything they could reach, making every color of everything dark and bright at the same time. "Perfect" I said to myself when the wind blew, taking my words with it.

I started to untangle my hair as slow as I could, my eyes locked in the sunset.

The wind blew again and played now with my loosen hair. I took a deep breath. It smelt at everything you could find in a forest.

The sun was disappearing in the horizon now. Its rays leaving a beautiful gamma of purples, blues, oranges, reds, pinks and yellows in the sky. Meanwhile, up in the middle of the sky, the stars were making their bright entrance alongside with the moon. The stars began to glow dimly while the moon made its way to the very top of the sky.

The last gleam of sunlight disappeared, leaving a glorious starry night. The soft moonlight soothed the sparkles in my skin. The stars twinkled by turns and formed the well-known constellations.

I admired the magnificent moon in all its glory. I swung my legs carelessly and saw a still wake hummingbird by a nearby tree.

"Why are you awake?" I asked it in a hush.

It was flying really fast, flapping its wings five times per second.

"I bet I'm faster" I muttered, not even hoping that it would hear me.

But before I could get off the tree with a jump, a strange white mist began to surround me. I lost the grip with the branch _and_ my balance.

I screamed as I fell - just like a normal person would have done. I closed my eyes and waited the impact with the not-so-soft grass.

* * *

**What do you think? Floppy? (Yeah, I know...)**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think!**

**(or tell me if I'm making her a Mary Sue or/and help me unblock this author block I got! please!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the late update and I'm really sorry because this chapter is really short for a late update. Anyway, thank you so much for all the alerts, follows and views, they really mean a lot to me. And just a little thing before the chapter: I don't want to put a lot of cursing in this fic (I just... don't feel it) so you may notice the word _hugging _as a replacement of the word _f*cking _:D aaaaaaaand that's all.**

**So, Read, Review and ENJOY!**

**Yoshida Hotaru :)**

* * *

The strangest thing was that I didn't hit the ground, I didn't land. It was like I was still in the air, like I was still falling, in an endless hole like Alice, but I couldn't feel the air or its particles, nor hear it whistling. So I supposed I landed in some sort of way.

I put my hand were it was supposed to be the grass but I didn't feel anything. I opened my eyes but everything was still as black as when you close your eyes. "I'm not blind, am I?" I thought I spoke but I couldn't hear my own voice. "Am I deaf, too?" I knew I blurted even if I couldn't hear me.

I turned my face to look everywhere, well nothing this time, but it was just pure blackness. I didn't even know if I was still lying on the grass or already up on my feet.

"What the heck is happening?" I wondered. I thought I crossed my arms over my chest but I felt nothing. I couldn't feel the pressure my arms made over my breast or the skin of my arms pressing against each other. "What the..." I stopped crossing my arms. _What the hugging heck is happening_! It was frustrating and it made me anxious not to do something to stop whatever was happening. I wanted to sit in the lawn, hold my legs to the height of my neck and embrace them, hide my face on my knees, let my hair cover the rest of my face like a curtain and let myself consume by my own fear and sadness. But I didn't move, I couldn't, I didn't want to... Total darkness surrounded me and I didn't move.

Then it hit me. _Why I hadn't thought of it before? It's like been asleep._ It really was and I missed it. I missed to sleep. I missed the fact that it is only you and your crazy mind, just imagining unconsciously while you're with your eyes close, hearing nothing, breathing unconsciously but smelling nothing, feeling nothing.

I closed my eyes again, I think - I didn't know, I was still seeing blackness - and I just let my imagination flow. It was more like remembering. I remembered everything I got through this day, how I got here thanks to Alistair's help, how that lady in a blood red dress made me feel attracted to the inside of the building, how they made me kill that man and how I enjoyed feeling his blood running down my throat and ceasing the burning, how I felt - what I felt when I saw him, when I saw his red eyes. How Aro made me remember and feel and live again that painful moment. And I started to remember it again. How they just attacked us with no problem through my fault.

_Why I had to get ahead? Why I had to get mad at them?_ I wondered, _it's your fault_. _They are dead and you are cursed because you had to get ahead because you were upset by something stupid!_ I blamed myself. I got upset and I wanted to cry. I remembered why I was there, why I wanted to die, why I wanted them to kill me. _You're a monster, a killer, they're dead and it's all because of you!_

I opened my eyes. I didn't want to think anymore. It was like a nightmare. _Worse_, I guess.  
I was standing up and this time I wasn't exactly surrounded by total blackness. That blackness was disappearing, making the forest and its marvels reappeared magically. It was returning in a mist form to. Alec. He made this? I wanted to ask him but he was just staring at me blankly. I notice the mist did return to him but it didn't disappear, it was surrounding him.

_That's what happened to me? That's how I looked?_

I took a step closer to me and he blinked. _Shoot!_ I took some steps backward and hit my back with the sycamore tree. "Damn"

He crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes. Then he looked at me with his piercing red eyes and I felt that new, weird, alive feeling again. I looked down at the grass, I didn't want to meet his eyes and feel that feeling again.

"Sorry" I apologized, my eyes glued to the ground.

"So that is how it feels when I deprive, huh?" he asked apparently to himself with a curious voice. Deprive? I looked up at him in disbelief; he was giving me his back, his face glittering with the soft moonlight. He totally ignored me! "Anyway" he turned to look back at me deadpanned "what was the last think you thought?" he asked.

I crossed my arms and bit my lip "What? Why? Why do you want to know?" I asked defensively. I couldn't tell him everything. How could I? I didn't even know him very well. But just looking at him, it just felt like I knew him forever.

"Perhaps it can help us to give us a clue to what triggers your unconscious reflect-gift" he concluded. I looked at him with wide open eyes.

"That's brilliant, Sherlock" I joked but he just stared at me inexpressive. _No jokes, okay…_ "Okay. My parents" I sighed. I didn't want tell him everything. Not yet. "More exactly, the day I became a vampire"  
"Interesting. What exactly did you feel when that happen?" his eyes lit with some knowledge.

"I -" I had to think, to remember. After a brief moment I answered him "I felt anger, I felt upset. I wanted -" I took a deep breath and looked to the ground again "I wanted to stop all the pain I felt and make them feel it… give them back all the pain I was feeling." I opened myself to him "I wanted to…"

"Reflect it…" he finished. I looked up and he was smirking "You focused on that feeling that day, huh?" I nodded. "Do you feel that every time you remember that day?" I nodded again. "Then you have to concentrate in that feeling again, focus in that memor-"

"No" I blurted, interrupting him. "I can't… I-" I paused. I couldn't tell him. I couldn't just open myself to him again. "It's just..."

"I know it is a horrible memory but you have to. We all had to" he said calmly, soothingly. He had to?

I looked up again and this time I met his red eyes inches apart from mine. He stood before me, only a few inches between us. A tingling ran through my entire body and the feeling was stronger than the last time.

"I- I." damn! I hate to mumble! But those eyes. God, he made me nervous "I'll try" I promised and outlined a smile.

"Good" his breath crashed against my face – it was sweet like blood – and his voice sounded pleased, making me tingle inside.

"Now what?" I could articulate after some seconds.

"Work on your skills" he said simply like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world, taking some steps away from me.

"How?" I tried not to sound sad.

"Hunt a nocturne animal" he said "that will help you with your senses. Use them, chase it, kill it, but do not drink its blood, and bring it to me. I will be at the door"  
Before I could say something, he sped away in a blink. I sighed. _Damn, this people are crazy,_ I thought, _first a person and now an animal... And this kid. He's a really strict instructor..._

But, this boy. Why did he make me feel _so_ alive inside? Did I make him feel the same way? Oh God, that's just stupid! That doesn't even make any sense. I'm an undead. He's an undead. They're all undead! That's no way I could feel something _so alive_... or is it?

I needed to clear my mind, but every time I ended thinking in him. In his red eyes, in his dark brown hair, in his face, in his perfect and angelical facial features, in his lips...  
_His lips?! Oh God! _"Why I was thinking in his lips?!" I started to talk to myself "That' not right, Raen. It's not okay" but I kept thinking of him. That would have made me blush if it wasn't for the fact that there's no blood running through my veins. _C'mon, Raen. You need to think in anything else… like… The animal! Yes! The animal! _"What animal should I hunt?" I gave many turns in my head until it occurred to me which animal could be. A fox.

I stopped and stayed still for a moment. I breathed deeply and listened carefully. I smelt and heard many things at once. Then I heard far away something making a sound like a dog. That was it! The fox!

I could hear very clear every sound of every life form that lived in the woods but needed to put all my concentration on that sound and where it came from.

I started to run to where I thought the fox's cry came from. The autumn cool breeze crashed against my face and played with my hair.

I tried to concentrate in its cry and forget any other sound or life form around me, but my mind was in another place. The memory of him so close to me was stuck in my head.

"Concentrate, Raen" I told myself.

I kept running. I could hear some crickets singing and owls hooting as I run, and between those noises I could hear its cry closer. I was getting there.

I stopped near a creek. _I never thought there was a creek here_. The water reflected the beautiful moon and gleamed with the moonlight. At the other side of the creek, its auburn fur gleamed with the moonlight, too. It stopped drinking water when it saw me. Its dark eyes focused on me.

"You're making this a little difficult, fella"


	5. Chapter 5

**Heyo! I'm so sorry 'cause I'm updating really late (blame the Drama classes)! But here is chapter 5! Hope you like it! Oh, and thanks for all those view! :3**

**As always: Read & Review (please do it! I know you want to!)**

**And ENJOY!**

**Yoshida Hotaru! ;)**

* * *

After some seconds, I caught it and killed it. Then I understood his warning of not drinking its blood. When I bit it, a drop of blood slipped through my mouth. I almost became frenetic about it. But it didn't taste as good as the human's and the scent was totally different but it eased the pain and the color, gosh, that red color was so attractive!

I made my way back; its reddish fur felt soft in my hands and its dead weight fell on them.

I analyzed every feature of its face. Its snout was wet with blood. Its eyes where closed and it was a little creepy just to think how alive it was minutes ago. I couldn't stop staring at the blood in its snout. _Stop staring at it! Distract yourself! Think of anything else!_ Anyone _else!_

His face appeared in my head as if he was in front of me, just inches between us. I sighed happily. _What the heck is happening to me? Why he makes me feel like that? What's that feeling? Why is so alive? _So many questions! But I felt a little less monster just by thinking of him...

I was lost in my thoughts when his melodious voice snapped me out of them. "A fox" it wasn't a question and his voice sounded pleased.

"Yup" I looked up to see him. His eyes were locked on me but his face was expressionless. At some moment we locked eyes. His and mine. And I felt strange again. But it was just for a brief moment. He broke apart, again, and his gaze fell on the dead animal. He grimaced a bit and then looked up at me again, but trying to avoid my eyes. _Is he feeling strange, too? Does he know what it means?_

"Just..." he paused for a millisecond and continued "...good job. You are dismissed" he sounded as if he didn't mean that.

Before I opened my mouth, he dashed through the door.

I sighed. I turned around and returned to the stream. Then I rest the dead animal on the grass.

I stayed there for a moment and at some point I got my feet in the water. I couldn't feel exactly its temperature but I guessed it was cool. Some little fishes came closer to my feet but they left as soon as they came.

Then I searched my tree. When I found it I started to climb. It felt good to be so high. It was good for thinking. But my head just filled itself with questions. I wondered where Jane, Felix and Demetri were; how my family was and some other stuff.

I stood there, sitting in the tree, swinging my legs and looking at the sky. I could hear the hoots of nearby owls. I smiled to myself. The dark blue sky began to clear; it took a beautiful shade of purple and the color yellow loomed up in the horizon. The stars started to fade slowly and the birds started to wake up, chirping happily. Some lights of the city were still on while the first rays of sunlight appeared. "Time to go" I told myself and jumped off the branch I was sitting on.

And as I made my way back to the door, I tried to remember the directions Corin gave me before she left me. _What did she said? "And, this hallway leads to…?" "It leads to the wives' room if you keep straight forward" _I remembered our conversation. The only thing I needed was to go straight. How forgetful I am!

I sped straight through it. It was indeed an endless hallway. Just some seconds of racing and then I stopped. The hallway still went on and on and on.

I had reached the unmistakable door of the wives' room. I opened the door, wondering if Corin was mad at me again. But what I saw inside wasn't Corin or Athenodora or Sulspicia.

My eyes were wide open and my jaw dropped down. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was gorgeous.

* * *

"Where is she?" Athenodora asked, worried, like for the hundredth time.

"She is late! That is for sure!" Corin commented with gritted teeth, crossing her arms angrily while pacing back and forth.

"Maybe she got lost" Sulspicia reasoned.

"I gave her simple directions! She could not get lost!" Corin argued "She must have stayed out there! Ugh! That kid!" she blurted out, annoyed.

"Corin! Calm down!" Athenodora said firmly "Maybe she… she…" she paused

"She, what?" Corin asked defiantly.

Athenodora stayed quite while she thought. Her eyes grew wide as she realized something. "I think I know where she is!" she smiled happily.

"Where?!" yelled Corin with irritation while Sulspicia just stared at Athenodora with quizzical eyes.

Athenodora just stood up from her place, headed to the door, opened it and, before she dashed out, she looked over her shoulder. "Follow me"

* * *

I just couldn't process what I was seeing! I thought I had seen the largest library of my life when my parents showed me the library of our new home. But heck, I was wrong! This was humongous! This was ten times my home's library!

There were like more than seventy bookshelves! Each one like 16 feet tall and with more than a thousand books each! This was awesome.

I entered to the place, feeling thrilled, excited. And then I closed the door behind me.

I got close to the first bookshelf I saw and took a random book. _"De Optimo Senatore". _It was written in Latin. It looked so old and fragile that I felt it would crumble in my hands at any moment, so I put it back in its place and searched for some recent ones.

My gaze fell on a familiar one. My mom had a copy of it. It was one of her favorites. _"Romeo and Juliet". _It wasn't exactly recent. On the contrary, I think it was just a few years less old than the previous one I grabbed. But I couldn't help it. It was a classic.

So I sat on the floor, against a wall. I crossed my legs and opened the book. The copy was really old and the sheets had a light sepia tone.

I sighed happily and started to read.

* * *

The three of them where standing outside the room, watching the door without purpose.

"I know she is there" Athenodora assured them, getting tired of it.

"How?" Corin and Sulspicia asked in unison.

"The door is similar to ours. She must have confused. That's all" she explained.

"Hope she is in there, then" Corin said. She approached to the door, grabbed the doorknob and opened it…

* * *

I giggled a little bit after reading for the fifth time something that made me do it. Then I heard that voice and I got scared a little bit.

"What are you doing here?" he said.

I looked up to see him. "Can I ask you the same thing?"

* * *

"I thought she would be in _this _one" Athenodora apologized "because it's the closer one to exit" she explained, referring to the door that leads you to the woods.

"There are more than ten libraries in this place" Corin almost yelled with gritted teeth. Almost.

"We just need to look on the ones that are close to our room, don't you think?" Sulspicia smiled shyly.

Corin sighed with irritation. "I hope she is in one of the thirty" she said annoyed as she pinched the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb.

* * *

"I asked you first, Raen" he said with a serious tone.

"I think it seems a little obvious, but I'm reading" I said, moving the book in front of me.

"No. Seriously. What are you doing here?" his piercing eyes were on me.

I sighed, defeated. "I got confused. I thought this was their room's door 'cause it looks so similar. It wasn't. But when I saw all this…" I looked up "I couldn't help it" I finished, returning my gaze to him and smiling.

"You should see the other ones… These are just only part of the sixteenth century"

"There are more?!" I was astonished "No way. You're kidding!" I laughed nervously with disbelief.

"I do not kid, Watson" he gave me a half-smile.

And his words made me shiver. If I could blush, I would be redder than a tomato – if that was even possible.

I smiled awkwardly while he looked away, at the floor, as he realized what he said. There were some seconds of very awkward silence.

"Does that mean I'm like your friend or… mate?" I broke the uncomfortable quietness.

"Don't know yet" he kept looking away. After a small moment, his eyes returned to me for a millisecond and then he quickly shifted his gaze to the book "What are you reading?" he obviously wanted to change the subject.

I half smiled "Romeo and Juliet" I told him and half consciously I patted the space on the floor that was next to me.

He didn't speak; he just started to walk to my direction and it made me nervous. Then he sat next to me. I smiled shyly.

An awkward silence filled the space, our arms were brushing against each other and we didn't make eye contact.

"So… what are _you _doing here?" I looked up at him as I asked the question after a brief, uncomfortable moment.

He kept looking at the ground, avoiding eye contact "I… mmm… I…" I smiled. He was stuttering! "I was passing by!"

"Yeah, sure" my voice was full of sarcasm. That was an old excuse.

"I am serious, Raen" he finally looked up. His red eyes were shining, reflecting the rays of sunlight that came in through a high window "After I left you, I returned to the Main Room and after some minutes there Aro send me to the wives' room with a message…" he paused "I passed by and heard noises… giggles…" he smiled a bit and I bit my lip "so I came in and found you"

_So I distracted you, huh? _I wanted to say it out loud so badly but I hadn't the guts to do it. And thank goodness for the vampire thing-y of not being able to blush! 'Cause just by thinking of it… goodness…

* * *

They divided sections so they could find her fast and easily. Corin was going to search in one corridor, Athenodora in another one and Sulspicia in another.

So they split and started to search.

At some point of that hunt, she heard some noises not far away from her position. She heard voices, two actually, chatting amicably. She recognized one of them: Raen's. But who was with her?

She reached the door where the voices came from and cracked it open a bit, making no noise at all. Through the gap of the door she saw two figures sitting near a bookshelf. She recognized the two of them quickly and she couldn't believe it. Raen was with Alec… _alone._

At the same second the two kids shut up and froze. They have heard her. What could she do?

* * *

"Hello?" I stood up and stretched my neck to get a better view of where the dull noise came from. Who had found us?

I peered out of the door. There was nobody. No one was out there.

I heard him pacing behind me while I kept looking. "Maybe it was a breeze or something…" I commented as I turned around.

He was right behind me, like a shadow. We were so closed, there just some inches between our faces. "And I think I should go" he said, his breath crashing against my face.

"Okay…" I sighed, a little disappointed.

Then he left, really fast. He maybe was in trouble and he knew it. I knew _I _was in trouble.

If I were still human, my heart would be racing hysterically. I was worried, uneasy, tense… It was too much.

Who had found us? How did he or she find us? And would he or she say or do something about it?

* * *

**Uuuuuuuuu! Who do you think was: Corin, Athenodora or Sulspicia? Tell me your guess in a review! And tell me what do ya think :)**

**C'mon! I know you want to review! I know you do! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yo! :D I'm really really really sorry! Two months without updating?! That was mean! (stupid writer's block). Oh, and thank you sooooooooooooo much for those reviews, favorites, follows and views. They mean a lot! Really! :D **

**Here's chapter 6. Hope you like it.**

**Read & Review**

**Enjoy!**

**Yoshida Hotaru :3**

* * *

She still couldn't believe what she just had seen. She felt a mix of astonishment and excitement invading her being.

Since the day she met him – a really, really long time ago – she had never seen him so _friendly_ and less with someone new. He had always been very earnest, almost boring, like almost everyone in that place. But now, with Raen, he seemed… happy, in some sort of way. Sure, at first sight you couldn't see it clearly, like if he didn't want to show the feeling of happiness – something reasonable.

She knew exactly what was happening, and she planned to talk about it with Raen. But she thought she needed back-up.

Corin… NO! She would freak out, get angrier with Raen and tell Aro and everyone about it.

Athenodora, then. YES! She would understand. She had gotten a strong bond over Raen. Besides, she was like Sulspicia's sister.

It was set. She would tell Athenodora and then they would talk with Raen about what they were going through.

* * *

Damn, damn, damn!

If someone truly saw us – and I was sure of it – well, let's just say they could start preparing our graves. It was our doom. The two of us would be more than…

_Just… just calm down… Everything will be okay… _I tried to soothe myself before I could panic. _Everything will be… it won't be okay! Who am I kidding?! They'll kill me! They'll _–

I let that sink in my head. I know it sounds suicidal, but I hoped they would do it, except that the desire wasn't so strong anymore, and I wondered why.

I was so nervous I walked my way to the wives' room really slowly – something that is unnatural. Before I could turn I heard someone zoomed. I prayed that the one that left was Corin, because at least no one would yell at me, and that she wouldn't come this way. Nobody dashed to this side so I peeked and I saw the guards outside the door. I let out a big sigh of relief.

As I got in front of the door, the guards gave me a look. I didn't know if it was a look of annoyance or disappointment. I opened it and inside the room, Athenodora and Sulspicia were sitting, facing the entrance where I was standing. They were obviously waiting me.

"Hi" I said slowly. "I'm sorry for being late but I…"

"We know, sweetie" Sulspicia said with a tiny smile.

"And we need to talk about it, darling" Athenodora finished, making space between them and patting the seat.

I moved forward and sat. I wanted to ask who was the one that saw us but before I could ask or say anything, Sulspicia began to speak again.

"Sweetie, how do you feel around Alec?" she shoot the question without hesitation.

"What?" I blurted out uneasily.

"Sweetie, do you feel that there is something between the two of you?"

I didn't answer right away. How could I tell them everything? I mean, they were trustworthy but I have met them a day ago and I couldn't just declare that I feel weird and alive just by thinking of him.

"I… yes" I finally answered. They both squealed with delight.

"Oh my! You're in love, darling!" Athenodora clapped her hands with glee.

"In love?" I gulped. _Love… that's what I've been feeling?_

"Yes" Sulspicia smiled at me. "Young, true love" she let out a sigh.

"Ages of not seeing on" Athenodora continued. "Well, besides Edward and that girl, Bella's"

"But I mean younger" Sulspicia argued.

They started to discuss, and I let them. All I could think at that moment was… him. Not at the same way as before. It was clear now. I understood why I felt so alive around him. But it was weird, it had only been a day and everything was so fast. Then something bugged me.

"You won't tell Aro or the others, will you?" I blurted out quickly. "This will be our secret, right?"

They turned their attention to me. "Yes" Athenodora said with a serious tone.

"We will never say anything to them" Sulspicia promised.

"If we do" Athenodora began "we do not know what would even happen to you if we tell them"

"Me? Why me?" I started to worry.

"Sulspicia, I think it is time for a story" Athenodora said and Sulspicia nodded.

They started to untangle my hair with their fingers again and it felt really soothing.

"Sweetie, a lot of centuries ago there was another girl with us, another wife. Her names was Didyme"

"She was Aro's sister. She had this wonderful gift that made you feel good and happy around her. Everyone like her, but mostly because of her gift"

"Marcus met her. He felt great around her. At first we thought it was because of her gift but then she told us she felt the same around him. She had found her mate and so had he"

"Aro did not meddle in their love at first. But then he discovered they were going to escape, they would leave"

"He did because of me. He likes to read my mind and he found that she had told us"

"He tried to make them change their mind. They said they would stay, but it was a lie"

"At the next day, we found her body burning. Aro said someone tried to get vengeance. He suspected were the Romanians, because they have this grudge against us. But we never discovered who really did it"

"Marcus stayed, and he has been depressed since then. And they locked us here for our protection"

_So that's what I saw yesterday, his memory of that day. _I understood their point. _They think they will think I will escape with Alec or that I will get kill somehow._

* * *

I left as fast as I could. I knew what I was feeling and it felt great but it was wrong. I even forgot the message. What was I supposed to say to the wives? I could not remember. And that bothered me! How could I forget the message?!

Anyway, I had to hide it. I had to hide that feeling. It would be easy to mask it on the outside, but on the inside in would not be like that. And thinking that Aro or Marcus would find it out made me uneasy. Over all, I must hide everything from Jane. Having a close relationship with her, she would notice immediately that I had changed somehow.

As I walked to the Main Room, I analyzed the situation, what to say and what not, what to think if Aro planned to read my mind and how to hide it so well, even I would believe it myself. But somehow she appeared in my head, for a brief moment or as long as I changed the thought in my mind. It was annoying. She was annoying but interesting in some sort of odd way. Wait! Did I think she was interesting?! Damn. I was officially losing my mind.

I had to keep all of this to myself for a time until this nonsense, this stupid, unnecessary feeling passed, leaving me alone and never coming back.

I entered the Main Room. Heidi hadn't arrived yet. _On time._ As always, I looked at everyone with disinterest. I took my place near Felix and Aro spoke.

"I expect you have delivered the message, Alec"

_No._ "Yes, Master. I did as you ordered" he grinned wickedly.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Marcus looking at me quizzically. He knew.

I sighed internally. I hoped this phase would end as fast as it began.

* * *

A week had passed and we didn't talk to each other besides him giving me orders to train. And it really bugged me. I wanted to talk to him so bad, hear his voice talking to me in a kind way and I was determined to do it.

The same routine was happening. I waited up at the crown of the tree, he made me fall somehow and we started to train. I was sick of it. He had this awful mask that made him look disinterested. He was hiding how he felt and it was sad. But I was doing it as well and I couldn't stand it anymore.

As I finished my last task - all that was left was my mental training - I steeled myself and formulated everything I would say in my head. Then he started to leave.

"I think we should play" I blurted out quickly before I could regret it, before he dashed away.

"Play?" he repeated in disbelief as he turned to look me with those read eyes.

"Yes" I nodded. _But what?_ "Maybe hide-and-seek" _Dumb, Raen, dumb_

"Hide-and- What are we? Seven? We are not kids" he grumbled.

I placed my hands on my hips, as if it was some sort of defiant gesture. "Yes, we are. You're thirteen and I'm twelve. We're still kids. Legally" I shoot back but he didn't seem to care. _Oh, he is good_

"But I am not thirteen exactly" he took me out of guard, and he noticed it. A mischievous grin took place in his lips.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "So, can we play?" I smiled at him, kind of playfully.

After a second, he let out sigh full of annoyance. "Okay"

"Yay! I hide, you seek!" I blurted joyfully and moved from my spot in a second. "No peeking!" I yelled as I ran away from him.

The wind crashed against my face. Running that fast felt great. You feel like you could take flight at any second. I chuckled to myself. I couldn't believe I was feeling happy and showing it at the same time. It was great, amazing.

After a few laps, looking for a good place to hide, I found a beautiful chestnut tree. I climbed it until I reached the top. The moonlight of the crescent moon touched gracefully my skin, making it glitter.

It was a peaceful moment...

"You are so predictable" his voice, his breath, his words crashed against my ear, making me lose my balance, again.

"Good... Lord!" I shouted before I fell of the tree. I landed on my back. He appeared in front of me after a second and helped me get up. When I took his hand I felt a tingling and the freaking, annoying feeling that appeared every time that I was near him: love. And each time it was stronger. I got up and he didn't let go of my hand. We were inches apart and the feeling was at its highest point. "Would that way to make me down will be made a routine?" I smiled playfully.

"Maybe" he said, letting go of my hand._ No! Don't! Ugh..._ "My turn to hide, I think" I nodded. "No peeking" he dashed away.

"Like you did? Never!" I teased.

"I did not!" I heard his voice from the woods.

I smiled and closed my eyes for a second. Then I started to seek.

Gosh, he was more than good. I couldn't find him anywhere, like he moved his position when I got neat. I felt like we were playing tag instead of hide-and-seek.

As I kept seeking, I was getting closer to the door and before I could bump with her I stopped my track.

She looked at me with her piercing red eyes.

I stood there paralyzed, stunned. I gulped. "Jane?"

* * *

**O.O cliffhanger? ^_^ I have to.**

**Well, I have again a writer's block so if you can help me and/or have some ideas PM or leave the idea in a review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Well, first of all I forgot to thank my dear friend _Zoe Grayson_ on the last chapter x) if it wasn't for her help, the last chapter wouldn't have been complete and neither would this one. And thanks to _author-fan2012 _for the idea of Alec's POV. Also, thanks to all the reviews, favs and alerts! I really appreciate it. **

**Now, here's chapter 7. Somewhat short :/ but I have to write it and update it. I hope you won't get confuse with Alec's explanation, and if you do, PM me or leave a review so I can explain it more clearly.**

**Without further ado, Enjoy!**

**Yoshida Hotaru :3**

* * *

Winter had hit two days ago, the trees were nude, everything was covered with a mantle of snow and I had not had fun like this since... since I was a toddler. It was so great.

For a newborn she was a little slow. As she sought for me, I kept behind her. Ha ha. She had not stopped for a second to hear any noise or watch my footsteps since she started running. Silly.

She stopped on her tracks near the door. I did it as well, maintaining myself hide some feet away from where she had stopped. Then I saw her in front of Raen. She was back and it was not good. It was bad, very bad.

"Jane?" she breathed.

My sister just stared at her, trying to kill her with her glare. "What are you doing here?" she snarled.

"I-" she screamed and fell on her knees before she could even finish her sentence.

Jane was taking revenge and I had to stop her.

I circled them, keeping some distance, so they could not see me. I placed myself near the door.  
"Jane, what are you doing?" I tried to sound amused.

She turned to face me and stopped torturing Raen, who started panting on the floor. Jane's eyes gleamed with some sort of joy. "Nothing, I was just talking to the new member" she lied. "Where were you? Where do you come from?" she demanded.

"We were leaving and apparently you did not see me standing here" I lied, making my voice monotone.

"Really? I do not remember that you were there, brother..."

"I was and I am still standing here or do you not notice me right now?" I interrupted her. I could say she was getting annoyed with the chitchat just by the glare she was giving me.

"Why are you here? Something important?" Raen asked brusquely, standing behind my sister.

"Not exactly" she snarled at Raen again. "Aro just sent me here to call you" she faced me again.

"Let's go" she rushed in.

I stared back at Raen. She let out a sigh, her gaze on the covered ground.

"Thanks" I smiled. Her big red eyes looked up at me before I raced inside.

* * *

"So, you lost track of Maria?" Aro asked my sister again, now sounding a little pissed off.

"Yes, master. We still do not know how this was possible..." Jane kept explaining and telling Aro everything they went through with details.

I was getting bored. I looked around the room. My eyes stopped when I looked directly to Marcus.

He was looking me quizzically again but it was just for a second. A second later he gave me a tiny smile, almost imperceptible.

_He more than noticed._

* * *

It was early morning and Jane started to interrogate me.

"What is going on? What happened? What did I miss when I was away?" she demanded.

_She noticed, great._ "Besides the facts that Aro chose me to train her and that a few hours ago we had finished her physical training, I think nothing" I responded calmly.

"That is not what I meant. What is going on between you and... her?" Jane had some trouble to mention Raen.

"As I said seconds ago, I only train her" Lie. It was more than that even if we have not talked about it.

"Just that?" she was getting annoyed. "Are you sure? Because Marcus does not smile randomly to you or any of us and hours ago he did smile at you. And only you" _Damn, she noticed that, too. Great._ "Please tell me she is not your..."

"She is not" _Lie._ "Jane, I really do not know why Marcus smiled at me" _Lie._ "But, sister, that does not mean that you have to be jealous or to suspect of your own brother"

"I am not jealous!" she grumbled. "Let's go" she frowned.

I hold back a laugh.

* * *

I dashed through the halls. I have been thinking about her gift. She was a mirror, and as we welcomed those people I got some ideas.

I had a mirror in my hands and I kept thinking as I ran, but I bumped into someone.

"Sorry" I apologized. Then I noticed who it was. "What are you doing here?"

"Going back to the room. What are _you_ doing here?" she giggled.

"I need you to show you something. It is part of your training"

"Right now?" she was doubtful. "It's noon. Don't you think we're gonna expose ourselves somehow?"

"Do not worry about that" I smiled at her.

"Okay, then. Let's get going"

We rushed outside. Our skin sparkled slightly as we ran. We stopped at _the_ spot. The place we always train.

"So what's the important thing you want to show me?" she asked.

"This" I showed her what I had in my hands.

"A mirror" she arched a brow. "Why is that so import?"

"What do you see?" I moved in front of her and help up the mirror.

"My reflection?"

"And your reflection is...?"

"Some kind of copy of me?"

"Exactly" I smiled. "Now, look" I moved to a spot that was illuminated by a ray of sun. I placed my hand with the mirror and it reflected the light. "What do you see now? What is the mirror doing?"

"Reflecting the light" she stated. "It's making the light return to somewhere else" she clarify before I could say something.

"Yes" I beamed.

"And your point is?"

"You are the mirror"

"I'm the mirror?" she looked puzzled.

"Your gift is some kind of mirror. It's Reflection" I explained. "As a 'mirror' you can reflect anyone's gift. You can do it in two ways: copying it and returning it, like it did with the light"

She smiled. "Where did you get this?"

"Let's just say the idea appeared when I was feeding myself"

"Weird. But how will I control this?"

"Well..." I did not know. "I did not think about that" she looked at me amused. "But certainly your gift goes against your will, like an involuntary response. And it only shows up when you have strong feelings or thoughts, or when you don't think about it at all" Like that newborn, Bella, of the Olympian coven, and compared to Raen's case, they are both protectors of their own minds and maybe even protectors of others'. _Interesting._

"What?" she asked me with a confused expression.

I chuckled. Her expression was somehow amusing.

"Once Aro said that this vampire called Carlisle had the theory that our gift is like the only thing we can bring back from out mortal life and that it reveals itself stronger and more noticeable when we are turn into what we are now. But the thing is we have to control it, learn how to use it at our will, and you have to learn this"

She gulped as if this was a matter of life and death.

"Do you remember the day you told me that you felt upset when you thought of your parents?" she nodded and a melancholic expression crossed her face. "I told you have to concentrate in that feeling. You have to concentrate in them" she opened her mouth to say something but I kept talking. "And you have to turn that feeling in something good. Maybe you can concentrate in them but with another feeling, something happier and stronger like love" why did I say that word? I still do not know. I felt a little nervous after it left out of my mouth but I composed myself fast. "Think of a happy moment that you had with them"

She closed her eyes for a second. Then she opened them and looked straight at me sadly. "I'm forgetting them. I mean, they're there but not clearly. They're just fragments. All I remember clearly is from the day I was turned to now" she almost shouted.

"Calm down..."

"I don't want to forget them!" her uneasiness was starting to annoy me. She paced restlessly in front of me. I did not say anything until she stopped pacing.

"But you know you loved them and they loved you back" At least yours did. "You still love them, I guess" she nodded. "Maybe you can think about someone you love now. I do not think you have not make bonds with Athenodora or Sulspicia"

She looked down to her feet bashfully. "I'll keep that in mind"

"I have to go now" I said after half a minute. "I will think about more ways you can control your gift" she looked up and smiled. "I will see you at the same time, at the same place as always, then" and with that I went back inside.

I tried to think about possibilities the rest of the day but my head was filled with almost nothing, and in the back of my mind it burned the fact that I thought about her the whole day, like she was some kind of mantra.

How melodramatic! I was turning into such a human. I mentally flinched at the thought of it. But at least I was thinking in something mysterious and interesting and that kept the rest of my day with a good and sort of weird mood that more than one vampire noted.

* * *

That night, as always, she was at the top of a tree, looking up at the sky.

I crossed my arms across my chest. "I think you need to get down so you can train"

She looked down at me over her shoulder. "Oops. Sorry" and with a jump, she was down. "Did you think of anything else?" her voice was full of hope.

"Not exactly" I confessed. "But I think that if you need a strong feeling you can use with your gift at will, we need to go back in the past"

"You mean—" she started with a worried and uncomfortable expression.

"I mean that you have to remember everything that happened since that day and tell me"

I did not know if I said it because I was curious of what happened to her and why she was always evasive with her past or because I really wanted to help her. Or maybe both.

* * *

**Happy Holidays, peeps! :D**


	8. Chapter 8

**Howdy everyone! I'm sorry that this chapter is short but here it is anyway. Thanks again to _Zoe Grayson_, without her I couldn't have great and crazy ideas. Thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, faved and/or put this ff in their alert, it really means a lot.**

**Well, here's chapter 8. Hope you like it. Read & Review!**

**And Enjoy, of course!**

**Yoshida Hotaru :)**

* * *

Her expression turned into one of pure fright. I knew she was remembering that day, but what did she think when she remember it?

"Do I have to?" she sounded vulnerable, so human-like.

I nodded. She sighed and sat in front of a tree, resting her back on its trunk. Her gaze locked on her hands. I sat next to her and looked at her, waiting.

* * *

This wasn't what I planned. I thought I would forget that day and never talk about it. How wrong I was and all because he thought it would help us.

I didn't want to look up at his eyes, but I could feel them all over me. I glanced slightly with the corner of my eyes. His eyes were locked on me and he seemed anxious. I took a deep breath and kept my gaze on my hands. All that day came to my mind really fast. I felt so bad I wanna cry.

"It was my grandpa's birthday. The whole family went to this cabin in the woods for a weekend, to celebrate it and I was behaving like a spoiled brat..." I took another breath. "You see, I didn't want to go; I was mad with my grandpa and upset that my grandma had passed away a month before that day and he didn't seem to care, he didn't even cry, and in his birthday he suggested such a place?! A place my grandma always wanted to go and never went!" The hate was now in every fiber of me. I closed my eyes for three seconds and continued. "Anyways, my dad lectured me and told me that the least I could do was act like I was enjoying everything. I tried and really hard, but every person has a limit" I shifted my position and separated my back from the tree trunk. "We were going to take a walk one of those days but I couldn't stand my facade anymore. As we walked, I exploded, I yelled at my grandpas that he was a hypocrite and ran ahead on the path and then I went into the woods, thinking that I could find a way to get away from them, from him. How wrong I was" I dug my fingers in the grass, mad at me for how stupid I was. "I could hear my parents shouting my name meters behind me but I kept running. As I got deeper into the forest, I felt my surroundings changing; the air felt heavier and weird. I stopped running when I heard a twig cracking two or three times and looked to where I thought the sound came. When I turned my gaze ahead, three ladies with red eyes, long and dark hair, and tanned skin were right in front of me. They whispered some things between them in Spanish, but after a minute they talked to me in English but with a heavy Hispanic accent. 'Honey' the middle one began, 'can you play a game with us?' she asked me and smiled. I was scared and tears started to form in my eyes. Before I could shake my head to say no, my parents appeared behind me. I heard my mom gasped, and then she grabbed me by the wrist while my dad took place in front of us, trying to protect us. The three weird ladies stood still and grinned crooked, wicked grins as they watched us hungrily. One of them disappeared in a blink and a second later, my other hand stung. I screamed as I felt something burning my insides. I looked down and saw a bloody bite mark. The tears started to fall down my cheeks and my mother sobbed. The lady that disappeared reappeared at her spot, licking her now bloody red lips. I was terrified and everything hurt. My heart beat fast and I was sweating cold. 'Take her back to the cabin, I'll watch your backs' my dad whispered over his shoulder. The three ladies laughed hard and mockingly, like they heard him. My mom nodded and everything started to look blurry. I heard my dad screamed for help. My mom pulled me but when I moved, my body hurt. As we jogged, we heard a horrible scream. We stopped in our tracks; my mom looked back and sobbed while I fell on the grass. I felt pain and something burning me inside. I looked to where my dad was supposed to be and what I sighted was his body over the lawn, lifeless and blurry. But I couldn't see those ladies. My mom tried to help me get up but something passed next to us and I couldn't feel her hand anymore. I heard another scream" my voice cracked. Letting this out was painful. "Everything was abnormally quiet. Tears still running down my cheeks. The ladies stood over me after a second, with bloody red lips and winning smiles. 'What did you do to me?' I sobbed. 'It's part of the game, little girl' one of them explained. 'But I didn't want to play' I sobbed and before they could answer me, I heard my family yelling our names. I looked to each side and saw the lifeless bodies of my parents, then I looked straight to the sky, hidden behind the branches and leaves of the trees" I let out a shaky breath. "They looked like shadows. One of them said 'Maria we have to leave her. We have to go now.' The shadow in the middle sighed and said 'Ok, but will regret this'. My vision became more blurry. They left in a second. The screams were closer. I had to move. I climbed the nearest tree to the top and observed them as they got to where all happened. I closed my eyes; I couldn't stand even hear them so sad and painful. They never found me" I gulped unnecessarily. "After that I went to a suicidal phase. I felt like it was my entire fault and tried to kill myself. After some methods and concluding that if I starve I would success, I ended up meeting Alistair. He told me about you and here I am, telling you everything" I finally looked up at him, his burgundy eyes on me, with a tiny smile playing on his lips.

"At least they cared for you" he whispered really quiet but I still heard him.

"What?" I was startled.

"Nothing" he smiled.

"So, any ideas?" I said sadly.

"Well, here is what we are going to do"

Three days for Christmas. I felt lighter since I told him about that day.

It took time but I learned to use my gift at will thanks to Alec's idea. He said that my gift seemed to follow my feels from that day, like wanting to protect myself from attacks. He also told me that I should transform that bad feeling into a good one, like thinking that I could have protected my parents that day. With that advice in mind, I managed to copy and return back Alec's gift most of the time. I kept practicing and getting headaches. It was mentally exhausting.

"Let's try again" he said in a good mood.

* * *

We solved the problem successfully and what I said to her resulted well in her practice.

"Okay" she beamed. She had been in a better mood since she told me everything; she even lost that sad glint in her eyes. And I was glad for that.

I put all my concentration on what I wanted to happen and let the mist away of me. She focused her eyes on each movement of the mist, concentrating. It was surrounding her, but before it could totally reach her, everything went black for me. She mirrored my gift.

It felt weird to be in pure darkness, not be able to hear the owls hooting, see those enormous trees, feel the snow soaking part of my pants, perceive her sweet scent.

I put a stop at all that. The mist returned to me slowly. Her fragrance was the first thing I perceived, then I looked her big, ruby red eyes open wide with shock. I turned around as everything came back to normal.

Jane was there, standing in front of us. She had a delighted smirk in her lips and a glint of joy in her eyes.

"What happened?" I asked quickly. I felt annoyed that she was here. What if she did something to Raen while I was in "gone"? Not that I cared a lot. Who am I kidding? I did care.

"Aro needs all of us in the Main Room. He has some news that are really thrilling" was all she said before vanishing.

* * *

"She did not do anything to you while I 'spaced out', did she?" I asked her as we made our way to the Main Room.

She looked up at me with curious eyes. "No. She appeared exactly as you made the mist return back to you. Why?" she smiled.

"Nothing. Just wondering" I shrugged.

"What do you think Aro wants to tell that is so important everyone has to be there?" she kept looking at me expectantly.

"If it is something that made my sister smile that way, it might be a crime" I said nonchalantly.

She looked away, narrowed her eyes at the floor and did not say a word.

We kept silence all the way to where they were waiting us. Then we took separate ways. She stood with the wives while I remained alongside my sister.

"Now that we are all together here" Aro began. Caius had the same delighted smirk and the glint of joy Jane had. It was a crime, definitely. Then I notice a Denali standing next to Renata. Irina. _This must be good_. "I have an announcement to tell you all. Our companion here, Irina, had witnessed an awful mistake made by the Cullen's. They had made a terrible crime, they created an immortal child"

_The Cullen's. How curious. _This Christmas was going to be very interesting.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hola, dear lectores! God! This is the fastest update I've ever made! And this chapter is the longest.**

**Well, here's the _battle_. I have to confess that I never finished the book but I know what happened (sort of), and honestly I prefer the movie version of the battle. For me, it was more exciting. It's just my opinion. So you have to know the battle scene I chose is the one from the movie. (If you haven't watch it yet, then: BIG! SPOILER! ALERT!) Also, I'm sorry 'cause not all the conversations are correct (I had a hard time trying to understand what they were saying). Big hugs to everyone! Thanks for reading and all that!**

**Well, here is chapter nine. Hope you like it.**

**Read & Review!**

**And of course, Enjoy!**

**Yoshida Hotaru! :D**

* * *

"What's an immortal child and why is such a terrible crime to create one? I asked the wives as we changed our clothes at their room for our departure.

"Those were two-years-old toddlers that were turned into vampires. They were very beautiful, but they were illegal, dangerous, very unstable and could not be taught to control themselves. They could kill an entire village in one of their tantrums or if they hungered" Athenodora explained quickly.

"That is why it is a crime" Sulspicia continued.

"And we could not risk our food" Corin commented cynically with a playful smirk. "Now, let's go"

* * *

The night of a day before Christmas Eve and we were making some visits to certain vampires. Apparently, these Cullen guys, in some way, knew we were coming to face them and talked to other vampires around the world and asked for their aid. Thanks to Demetri, we have tracked those certain vampires that didn't say yes. But not all of them said no, either.

In this circumstance, since we left Volterra, I had to take place with Jane and Alec. We never talked to each other and Jane only gave me dirty looks now and then. I haven't used my gift, nor has Alec. Well, just a little but only Jane was able to use it.

We were in London. I was nervous by thinking we would find Alistair; I didn't want him to suffer like the others we found. But then I saw the Big Ben, it looked gorgeous and majestic. I smiled for myself. I never thought I would be here and see that gorgeous clock again.

"Quit that and behave like a Volturi" Jane snarled. I looked at them. Alec didn't move and Jane narrowed her eyes at me.

"My dear friend Toshiro" Aro's voice made me look ahead again. The vampire we tracked – who apparently was named Toshiro – started to run for his dear life as he saw us. "Jane" Aro commanded behind us as always. Jane smiled, pleased and made Toshiro suffer for a little, to make him run into an alley. We took our place at one open side of the alley; Toshiro running away from us. "Alec" was the only thing Aro said to let Alec know what he wanted.

Alec took a step forward and started to summon – if you could say that – his mist. It started to reach Toshiro. At the other side, Demetri and Felix appeared. He tries to fight them by they just took him and made his back hit one of the walls while Alec's mist finished reaching him. He looked scared. If only he knew how many times I've been in his place, surrounded by that mist. He said something in Japanese. It was the first time I saw Alec's mist surrounding another person besides us; it was scarier than I thought. I glanced at him and the scarier feeling grow bigger. He looked just like Jane, somehow enjoying what he was doing. He wasn't the vampire I knew from those training day; he wasn't there.

Aro, Marcus and Caius appeared right next to Alec. While Marcus and Caius looked how Toshiro was suffering, Aro turned to look at Alec. "Alec" he said again, this time commanding him to stop. Then he raised his hand and gestured to stop as Alec turned to look at him. His expression was mixed between annoyance and disappointment but did what he was told to do.

The three of them walked where Toshiro was, scared to death. "I would never go against you" he said to them, like all of the vampires we tracked did.

"Of course not, my dear Toshiro" Aro said and held out one of his hands, gesturing that he had to look inside Toshiro's mind.

Toshiro obeyed and Aro took his hand between his. What Aro saw wasn't pleasing. "Seems like Carlisle is still expecting you" he said and Caius smiled mockingly. Toshiro was now frightened, and gulped with nervousness. Aro smiled at him and then gestured to Demetri and Felix. It was going to happen again.

"Carlisle has been assuring his own destruction" Aro commented as the three of them walked toward us. Demetri and Felix killed Toshiro behind them. He sighed. "Sad, isn't it?" he glanced at Caius while he smiled back.

We have finished with this part of the world; it was time to keep moving and I was glad we didn't spot Alistair at all.

* * *

The night of Christmas and we were in Canada. We found Nicholas and Lydia, two nomads that didn't know anything about what Carlisle and his coven were doing. So we left them alone, which was surprising for me.

The night was long and I wanted to be with Sulspicia and Athenodora, but I had to remain in my place. So I stared to imagine how the Cullen's look like. Sulspicia and Athenodora had told me a lot of stories. Some of them were of Carlisle, Edward or Alice. It was hard to put a face to those names with my lack of imagination.

"What are you thinking?" his voice startled me. Jane was now some feet in front of us and he stood with me. I looked at him; he seemed like the Alec I knew from the wood but he could also be the one of London. Who was he, really? I didn't know anymore.

"That you owe me a Christmas present" I smiled but I was nervous. It was weird to think I was talking to that kid who seemed to enjoy using his gift as much as his sister.

"And what would you like?" he smiled. It was unbelievable how fast he acted like nothing happened. I wondered how many times he had done what he did with Toshiro.

"Just look for something that both of us could enjoy" I responded. "But blood doesn't count" I snapped fast.

"Okay" he smiled at me again and then he dashed to take his place next to Jane.

I sighed. Now I wondered if I was on the bad side or the good side.

* * *

We got there the next morning. The sky was cloudy and gray, it was snowing slightly, it was all very quiet, there was thin fog and they were waiting for us. They were a lot but not compared to us. Truly, there was a child, a girl, but she seemed inoffensive. Then, as I looked everyone's faces, I wondered who were the famous Carlisle, Edward and Alice. I supposed Edward was the one next to the newborn and the child, since I heard from Athenodora and Sulspicia's stories that he found his mate in a human. The other couples were holding hand or embracing each other, with worried looks.

We walked forward and the formation began. They started to move to let us pass. The wives were somewhere, protected by Corin, Jael and Toris. Renata was right at Aro's heels; Demetri and Felix, on each side of the three of them; us three, right behind them and behind us, Irina and Santiago – another guard.

We heard howls and from the forest, that was behind the lawbreakers and their friends, appeared wolves that growled and snarled at us. They took place between each set of vampires and one of them stood with the newborn.

We stopped just some meters away from them and moved off the hoods of our cloaks.

A blonde vampire started to walk toward us. "Aro, let's discuss this as we used to" he began. "As civilized men"

"Fair words, Carlisle" Aro responded with a monotone tone. "But little out of place given the battalion you have settled against us"

"I can promise you it was never my intent" Carlisle said formerly. "No laws have been broken" he assured.

"We see the child. Do not treat us like fools" Caius said with an angry tone.

"She is not an immortal" Carlisle shouted to everyone. "Her witnesses can test in that. Or you can look" he turned to the girl and extended a hand. "See the flush of human blood on her cheeks"

"Artifice" Caius was mad.

Aro raised a hand as a gesture for Caius to stop. "I will collect every facet of the truth, but with someone more central to the story. Edward" he called. "As the child clings to your newborn mate, I assume you are involved" he finished as he took some steps forward and held out his hand.

Edward looked down at the girl, passed his hand over her temple as a soothing gesture and smiled at her, then looked straight at his mate, Bella, who pushed the girl behind her and made her stood beside the wolf as Edward started to walk toward Aro.

I sensed Edward was reading our minds. Athenodora and Sulspicia had told me about his gift. I tried to mirror it but what I did wasn't that. I felt Bella was using hers too and I ended up trying to mirror that gift and not Edward's, which was difficult since she was a shield.

Aro looked at Edward hungrily as he took his hand. I tried to copy Edward's again. It was for a brief moment, but what I saw in my head was shocking. The girl was a hybrid.

"I would like to meet her" Aro said anxiously.

Edward looked back over his shoulder at the child. She looked up at Bella and both walked forward with the wolf at their heels. They stopped for a brief moment and the three of them looked back to someone. A tall, big, muscled vampire made his way to them.

They were in front of Aro. "Ah, young _Bella_. Immortality becomes you" he said. Then he started to laugh like a maniac as he pointed a finger at the girl. I heard a heart beating, _her _heart. "I hear your strange heart" he commented happily. The girl just looked up at Bella again. Aro leaned down some inches and extended a hand to the girl as she took some steps forward. The wolf growled unhappily.

"Hello, Aro" the girl saluted him with a straight tone. She looked down at his extended hand, ignored it and placed _her _hand on his cheek.

"_Magnifico_" Aro said, stunned. He straightened his posture as the girl returned to Bella. "Half mortal, half immortal" he turned to look at us. "Conceived and carried by this newborn" he turned back to face them. "While she was still human" he finished.

"Impossible" Caius said.

Aro turned to look at Caius and the wolf snarled. "Do you think the fooled me, brother?" he sounded mad.

They left as fast as they could, taking the opportunity as Aro and Caius faced each other. The wolf didn't move, it growled and barked and then walked behind Edward, Bella and the girl.

"Bring the informant forward" Caius commanded. Aro had a smile of knowledge.

Santiago had grabbed Irina by the arm and both advanced to the front. The others that were behind us walked to the front as well. She glanced sorrowfully to two other blondes that were at the other side. She was now facing us, the others making a circle around us.

"Is that the child you saw?" Caius pointed a finger to the girl.

Irina glanced to the child, and then looked down at the ground. "I'm not sure"

"Jane" he called but before she could do something to Irina, she started to talk again.

"She is changed. This child is bigger"

"Then your allegations were false"

"The Cullen's are innocent" she admitted. "I take full responsibility of my mistake" she turned to them and whispered "I'm sorry"

Behind me, Demetri lit up a torch. Felix and Santiago moved slowly.

"Caius, no!" Edward yelled, knowing what were they were going to do.

Demetri gave Caius the torch. Felix and Santiago hit Irina. The sound of ice breaking ringed in my ears.

"Irina!" one of the blondes from the other side screamed. Felix grabbed Irina by her throat and broke it. Her headless body fell down to the snow and Caius set it on fire. I heard piercing screams from the other side.

They started to run toward us with anger. Bella place her daughter on the wolf's back. Other vampires stopped them. One of the blondes electrocuted the one who held her.

"Blind them" Edward commanded to another vampire, who just looked straight at them.

"Give my sight back" she ordered. Edward talked to her.

We took our places again. Aro glanced at Jane as Edward walked toward Bella. "Pain" was all she said and Edward fell on his knees, suffering. Bella took a step forward and closed her eyes in concentration. After a second, Edward glanced at us and stood up, like nothing was happening. Jane looked at everyone, expecting them to fall on their knees, but nothing happened. Bella smiled at Jane, knowing that Jane knew what was happening. Jane advanced a bit, pissed off, but Alec stopped her. Then he tried to use his gift but Aro cut him out. The wolves snarled at us.

"Aro, you see there is no law broken here" Carlisle told Aro.

"Agreed" he took a step forward. "But does not that means that there is no danger" he said poisonously. "For the first time in our history, humans are a threat to our kind" he turned to us. "Their modern technology" he raised his voice, "has given birth to weapons that could destroy us" he turned to look at them again. "Maintaining our secret has never been more imperative" Caius smiled, knowing what Aro meant. "In such parlous times, only the known is safe"

This was getting to what I think was getting? I tried to copy Edward's gift again, hoping Bella stopped protecting them. I had it for a minute but it was all I need to see in my mind what Aro and Caius were thinking. I was definitely not in the good side.

"Only the known is tolerable. And we do not know nothing about what this child will become" the girl looked calm; the other, worried about where Aro was getting. "Can we live with such uncertainty" he shrugged. "Avert ourselves a fight today, only to die tomorrow" Now I was concerned. How could he be so sure about that? The ones behind us started to whisper between them. Bella looked furious.

Suddenly, a couple of vampires appeared from the forest. Aro gasped when he saw them. "Alice" Edward muttered.

"Alice" Aro repeated with pleasure.

The couple was walking toward us. The woman glanced at them with a sad look. Demetri walked past Aro with two other guards and held them back. "My dear, dear Alice. We are so glad to see you here after all"

"I have evidence the child won't be a risk to our kind" her voice was sweet and smooth but it sound shaken. She held out a hand. "Let me show you"

"Brother" Caius said. Demetri let her pass with a furious manner. As she stopped in front of him, he grabbed her hand quickly. Curiosity took over me; I needed to see. I copied Edward's gift; it was easy this time but still just a minute or two. Now I wish I have never seen that.

_He was stunned of what he saw. She, on the other hand, looked upset. "It doesn't matter what I show you…" she was angry. "Even when you see, you still won't change your decision" she said through gritted teeth. She turned around and mouthed "Now" to Bella. The girl glanced at her mother with sad eyes. Bella looked up at her, then at the wolf and said "Take care of my daughter" The wolf understood and ran away. _

"_Get them" Caius ordered to Santiago. Alice, angry, kicked Aro in the jaw and sent him flying above us. We were stunned. We looked at her furiously. Edward seemed to know what was going to happen. Aro stopped himself right at the end of our formation. Two other guards took Alice by the arms. We took some steps forward. The wolves growled._

"_Take her away" Aro ordered. Alice fought back but it was in vain, the two guards dragged her back._

"_Let her go" Carlisle yelled and ran. Two other guards ran at his direction and tried to stop him. He threw them away and kept advancing. Then, he launched himself to us but Aro did it as well and stopped him midair, grabbing his head. _Crack. _I wanted to close my eyes but I couldn't. His body fell in front of Alice and his head was in Aro's hand. The woman who had been with him placed her hands on her mouth, at the edge to almost cry. Edward looked traumatized. Aro smiled at them evilly. All of them looked shocked. Caius set his body on fire._

_They all ran toward us, ferociously. The wolves wanted to run as well but the middle one, the alpha I guess, growled back at them. Aro raised both arms, signalizing to the others that they have to move as well and battle. I went to where the wives were._

_As we moved, the wolves ran toward us. They launched to each other, the wolves bit the guard in the neck. Punches and kicks here and there. It was mayhem. And they were killing us fast._

_We left them. Jane stared at Alice's mate – who was beating Demetri –, hoping she would make him feel her pain. Instead, Bella used her gift and protected him. Alec saw that and tackled Bella, making her loose her concentration. _

_Jane made Alice's mate feel pain. He fell on his knees. Demetri took advantage. Alice fought to liberate herself but Felix and Demetri killed him quickly. Alice screamed with pain._

_Bella and Alec were fighting. She kicked him to take time. Near them, the muscled one killed one of us and ran to aid Bella. He launched toward Alec, grabbed him by the throat and as mercilessly as we have done that, he separated his head from his body._

_For the second time, Jane felt pain. So did I. But it was something stronger than just pain, it was worse._

_Alice managed to free herself and kill the guards that were grabbing her at the same time. Edward and Demetri fought. A wolf killed a guard but there was Jane, who didn't seemed to care about Alec's death anymore, and made the wolf feel pain. It cried. Felix put his arms around his neck and broke it. Another wolf howled._

_Where the wolf and the girl were, Santiago pursued them. The wolf understood what happened but kept running. It cried. "Jacob" the girl said. Santiago launched at them but the wolf managed to twirl and kill Santiago. Then they escaped._

_In the battle, we started to win. One of them noticed that, punched the ground with anger and made it broke. A big crevice formed. A lot of us fell and were push to fall. I fell and died. Carlisle's mate was going to fall, but the wolf that howled took her place, saving her._

_Edward almost died, which made Demetri smile with pleasure, but at the last minute he jumped out of the crevice. He tackled Demetri and killed him._

_Jane was worried now. Alice ran at her. She tried to make her feel pain but knew Bella was protecting her. Jane ran away, knowing the inevitable was going to happen to her. Alice appeared in front of her, grabbed her throat, pulled her toward a black wolf and threw her at the wolf. It killed her._

_Now Aro was upset. The wives looked worried. Caius left to battle. He fought the blondes but they beat him quickly._

_Other two ran at Marcus direction. "Finally" he said with joy. They killed him. _

_Aro left the wives and walked toward Edward. Edward walked as well. Bella ran. Aro punched her and sent her back. She fell on Edward. Aro made his way to them. Edward and Bella looked at each other. Aro ran at them but, helping each other, they started to beat him. Edward grabbed him but Aro freed himself and tried to kill Edward. Bella placed herself in Aro's shoulders and grabbed his head. Edward, free now, kicked Aro in the shin and made him fall on his knees, and then he kicked Aro in the back. Bella was now able to decapitate him. His head rolled on the snow. Bella was going to set him on fire. Everything went black._

I gasped. Alec glanced quickly at me, trying to ask with his eyes what happened.

Aro released Alice hand. She looked at him. He looked at them. Edward seemed to know Aro was changing his mind after what he saw. The others looked at him expectantly. The wolves growled again.

"Now you know. That's your future" she told him. "Unless you decide on another course"

"We cannot change our course. The child still poses as a big threat" Caius said to Aro. I cursed in my mind.

"And what if you assure she will be concealed from the human world, could we live in peace?" Edward spoke.

"Of course, but that cannot be known" Caius said as Alice turned around and took some steps forward.

"Actually, it can" Edward smiled. Bella looked at him.

I didn't put too much attention to what happened next. In my head I saw that vision again and again. It made me dizzy but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Dear ones" Aro's voice stopped my train of thought. "There is no danger here. We will not fight today" he looked at Caius.

We turned around and left fast.

I was in the wrong side.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey there beautiful people! I'm glad your still reading and liking this story. It means a lot. So this chapter is kinda short, I know. But guess what are you gonna read? I'll give you a hint: past.**

**Well, Read & Review!**

**Enjoy!**

**Yoshida Hotaru! :D**

* * *

It was New Year's Eve, almost a week after we returned from what turned out to be a lie.

I was still shaken by what I saw that day. Alec dying. Me dying. Marcus dying. Also by how Alec acted while using his gift. It made me wonder who he really was.

With all that I realized I was in the wrong side. Not all of them were bad but not all of them were good either. An idea was stuck in my head since we started our way back to Volterra: escape. Escape from them and became a nomad. And maybe I could convince at least Alec to come with me. I knew the wives wouldn't and I didn't have another friend besides them.

During last week, I managed to convince Alec that we should still go to the woods at night so we could keep talking and be friends. He said he would go to the woods every time he could go, otherwise we would see each other the next night, because her sister was suspecting about us.

I was hoping he would come. It was New Year's Eve and I expected to spend the last moments of the year with him.

I was at the top of a tree, as always. I watched the people staying up late and waiting the moment the clock would announce New Year.

He appeared next to me; the skin of our hands brushing slightly.

"Why are you looking at them?" his voiced was as smooth as silk but it had a glint of annoyance.

"Because I'm waiting New Year" I said simply, trying not to look at him.

"There's a clock inside, somewhere. Why not wait there?"

I finally turned to look at him. "Because I want to spend the last minutes of this year with you" the words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop myself from saying them. They sounded like it was something obvious. "Inside, you'll be with Jane and I'll be with Sulspicia and Athenodora, like every day. We won't be together" he looked taken aback but he composed himself quickly.

"All right then. Let's wait" he rolled his eyes and a small smile played on his lips. After a while, he broke the silence. "Does the Christmas present thing still stand?"

"Yup" I nodded.

"Okay" he sighed. "Why are you exactly waiting for New Year? I mean, it's like another day"

"It's just that I miss celebrating things" I said.

"You miss other things besides your parents?" he sounded stunned.

"Yeah" I looked at him incredulously.

"Like what?" he asked.

"Well, I miss the fact that my throat didn't burn when I was thirsty" I joked. He smiled. "I miss hearing my heart beating. I miss the blush on my cheeks" I faced the sky, looking right through it, deep in my thoughts. "And this will sound stupid, really stupid" I smiled. "But I miss to sleep"

"You miss being human?" he questioned.

"You could say that, yes" I looked back at him. "Do you miss anything?"

He seemed uncomfortable by my question but he still answered. "I don't think about that all the time, but sometimes I like to think I miss my parents, even if they were hopeless and mean"

I stared at him wide-eyed. "W-what do you mean by that?" I stuttered.

"Nothing" he said.

"Really? 'Cause it sounds like you have quite a past with your parents" I pointed out. "What happened?"

"Nothing" he repeated, his eyes gazing down.

"Okay, but you can tell anytime" I told him and dropped the topic at that point, knowing that I shouldn't push further.

I was curious. I really was. His comment about his parents was a code I didn't understand but made me want to decipher.

Time passed and the silence was peaceful. I was amazed he didn't go away because we didn't talk or anything. I was asking myself if I should tell him about the two of us escaping.

Midnight came; laughs and cheers echoed from the houses.

"Happy New Year" I smiled.

"Happy New Year" he repeated. "Any resolutions for this year?" he asked and three things came to my mind.

I hesitated at first but took his hand anyway. "Yes" I began, "three resolutions that I hope you will help me do them"

"Why me?" he asked curiously.

I was glad I got his attention. "Because you are involved" I smiled, but inside I was nervous. 'How will he react?' I wondered.

"Will you tell me at least the first one?" our eyes met as he asked me. His face glittered softly with the moonlight and his eyes lit curiously.

I jumped off the branch we were sitting on and landed on the snow. He landed besides me a nanosecond after. "Only if you promise you'll help me" I said, praying that he would say that he would help me.

"It will depend..." he started.

"I'll tell you until you promise you'll help me accomplish those three resolutions" I stated, interrupting him.

Silence. He stood there, thinking for a moment. I sat on the snow and rested my back on a tree.

"I will" he said suddenly. I smiled widely. "But only if you help me with my resolution" his lips curved into a tiny smile.

"Okay" I beamed and stood up.

"So, will you tell me now?" he asked. I haven't seen him so impatient before.

"Yes" I nodded. "The first resolution I want you to help me complete is that I need you to tell me something"

"How is that a resolution?" he asked.

"And that something is..." I kept talking, ignoring his comment. "I wanna know your backstory"

"No" he grumbled as fast as I finished the sentence.

"But why?" I whined. "I already told you mine. Why can't I know yours?"

"No..." he repeated dryly "I don't think it's a good idea" he whispered "Besides, I have to go now" his burgundy eyes shined with something I haven't seen before in them.

"I'll insist until you tell me" I stated. "You promised"

He left. But still he promised.

* * *

Three days after I told him my "resolution" and he didn't come to the forest, neither to the library. He was avoiding me even at the meal time.

I lay down on the snow, wondering what was so bad that he had to hide it from everyone. The starry sky made me company. Then a thought slapped me. _The wives must know, they have to!_

They have been telling me so many stories, they must know his. And time was in my favor; the sun was arising. I dashed straight to their room.

They were surprised by my arrival, even Corin. "What are you doing here, sweetie?" Sulspicia asked warmly.

"It's just that I couldn't wait to hear how the story about Aro finished" I lied. I couldn't say my idea with Corin right there.

"Oh! All right, darling. Sit" Athenodora gestured me to sit down.

I did as she told me and they started to comb my hair and started to tell me one of Aro's stories. Corin sighed with boredom. "I am going to leave" was the only thing she said before disappearing completely, not even worrying that the guards were there. That was my opportunity.

When Sulspicia paused for a nanosecond I blurted out. "Tell me about Alec… and Jane"

They grinned happily. "We knew you would ask soon or later, sweetie" Sulspicia commented.

They started to braid my hair again and Athenodora started. "Alec and Jane were born decades ago, centuries actually, in a little village in England"

"Aro was made aware of Alec and Jane through the thoughts of a visiting nomad" Sulspicia added.

"Aro showed interest in them since they were toddlers, but decided to wait until they were old enough to be turn. So he let them in their parents' care"

"Years passed by and they were accused to be witches and were condemned to be burned at the stake"

"Aro was apprised of the situation by a nomad who knew his interest in the twins"

"He hurried to the village with some of us, arriving just in time to interrupt the execution…" Sulspicia stopped and we heard someone was coming.

"I think it would be better if you ask him personally" Athenodora commented.

"Attract his attention and he will answer you" Sulspicia muttered in my ear just in time.

Corin appeared at the door. "I hope you have finished telling her _that _story" both blondes nodded. "Good. Now you can tell her mine" Corin said pleased, like if hers was the most important.

* * *

I walked to one of the libraries with a braided hair.

"They like to do that a lot, do not they?" Alec said at my side, touching one of the braids slightly.

Apparently I attracted his attention without even trying.

"Now you're talking to me?" I didn't try to sound upset, but I really was. He ignored me for three days.

He sighed. "You are still with that thing on your mind?"

"I'll keep insisting" I told him. "And you promised"

"I will but not here" he whispered.

"Then let's go outside" I said.

* * *

"Now, will you tell me?" I insisted. He didn't say anything; he sat near a tree. I sat beside him and took his hand. "Someone told me part of the story. That you were accused to be…"

"Don't say that word. Please" he didn't met my eyes but he squeezed a little my hand.

We stood there, in silence. It was peaceful. It wasn't night yet; we sparkled as the sunlight touched us; the birds chirped happily.

"Thinking about that day hurts me and remember what they did to us makes me angry…" he said after a while. He looked up at the sky and his face glittered beautifully. "We were just toddlers when our gifts started to show up. If people were bad and unkind with our family, we made them suffer unconsciously; otherwise, we liked them. But that's how rumors started. They said our gifts were sorcery, witchcraft. Our parents defended us firmly but then they hesitated when the rumors became stronger" he paused. I squeezed his hand, gesturing he should go on. "On our thirteenth birthday, they told us they had a surprise for us. We didn't knew they would betray us like they did. It hurt us" he turned to look at me; his eyes were full of sadness. "That was the day of our execution. They tied us and lit us on fire. It burnt us slowly and painfully. It was as awful as when the poison of a vampire runs through your entire body" he looked away again. "As we suffered, our gifts became stronger. Jane focused in the pain, giving her gift more strength to torture people's minds. Me, well, I was like you; I wanted to not feel any pain, to avoid it, to escape from it, to not feel anything; which made my gift what it is now. As we melted bit by bit, the villagers scream agonizingly. There he was, Aro, and the others, killing and sucking the blood of everyone. We were dying and he came from nowhere we knew to save us and accept us like no one did. He bit us. The pain started again and our gift reached their highest potential. We came here and they train us…" he stopped and turned to look at me, his face expressionless. Our faces were just a few inches apart; his beautiful burgundy eyes were lock with mine. "And I think…" I cut him off with a hug, "that's all" he finished, his breath crashing against my ear.

* * *

**Happy Valentine's Day! :3**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey there! I'm really sorry that it took me sooo long to update with this short chapter :( but school has been sucking all my creativity (lame excuse). But I hope this chap is okay :)**

**Thanks to the readers, followers, favoriters(?) and everyone :)**

**Read, Review and Enjoy**

**Yoshida Hotaru :)**

* * *

We broke apart just a few seconds later. "I-I'm s-sorry" I stuttered. "I shouldn't have..." I tried not to look his eyes. "I just felt you needed one..." I confessed in a whisper. If I was still human, I'd be as red as a tomato at that very moment.

He laughed. It was more of a chuckled but it startled me. I've never heard him laughing/chuckling before and it was weird.

I turned to look at the other side. I didn't want to see him. "This is embarrassing" I breathed out.

He placed his warm hand gently on my shoulder and made me turn to look back at him. There was a genuine smile on his lips. Our faces were inches apart and they sparkled with the fading sunlight.

I looked up. The stars started to appear in the blue sky. I felt him staring at me. I looked down again and we locked eyes.

"Thank you" he said a second later. "What for?" I felt I knew but I wanted to hear it from his mouth.

He just smiled. We stood there for a while, looking into each other's eyes, until he said something I didn't wanna hear. "Close your eyes"

"Why?" I really didn't want to hear it.

"You know why" he stated.

Why I had to mention I miss sleep?

"But..."

"You can control your gift now so do not worry" he interrupted me.

I sighed. "Okay"

"Relax" he whispered.

I closed my eyes.

He was being nice. Really, really nice. Was there something wrong with him? I didn't know. I only knew he was making me more confused about how he really was.

The sound of the crickets and the hooting of the owls started to die until I didn't hear a thing. I didn't feel anything, nor smell.

I didn't know what to do, so I started wondering why has Marcus smiled at me every time we were all at the big room? It was weird. He never smiled at me the first day. I could swear he disliked me. But he's always smiling when he sees me now. Did he knew something? Did the wives told him? Did they told everyone?

_Crap_

Worry filled my being. I noticed I used my gift unconsciously when I heard the owls again.  
I opened my eyes. He was still staring at me, blankly, and that smile was still on his lips.  
"I knew it" I muttered and stood up fast. That's when I noticed he was holding my hands. I looked back down and he was already standing up.

"I hope you liked your Christmas gift" we were so close, his words crashed against my face.

"That wasn't my Christmas gift... It can't be!" I stated angrily. "It doesn't count" I pouted. "I specifically said that it had to be something we could share and enjoy" I said stubbornly.

"And what makes you think I didn't enjoy the moment?" he asked with a serious tone.

I gasped. "You're implying you like me better when I'm quiet and motionless?"

"Do not put words in my mouth, Raen" he said firmly. Then he sighed. "Why do not you tell me the second resolution?"

I stood up and chewed the inside of my cheek. "What about a no to answer that?" I turned my back at him as he got up.

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because" I sighed and closed my eyes, "you're not prepare to know yet" I said in a rush and this time I was the one that dashed away.

* * *

As I ran through the hallways, I crashed into someone. It felt like crashing into a wall and it made me back off.

I expected to see the killer glare of Aro or Jane but when I looked up I saw the broken red eyes of Marcus.

"Oh, Raen, dear" he smiled. "I want to talk to you"

"But..." I couldn't formulate the words in my head, nor in my mouth. What was he doing here? "The wives?" was the only intelligent thing that came out.

"Aro and Caius are with them" he told me, not looking me in the eyes. That was too much information. "Come with me, please" he said as he turned around.

I nodded worriedly and followed him.

* * *

We were sitting in a room I didn't know existed in here. It was really big and old-looking. Marcus told me he used this room when he needed solo time.

"You know, I did not like you at first" he began harshly.

I was stunned. Nobody had ever said that to me so directly.

"I think it was because you reminded me of my beloved Didyme somehow" he confessed. "I still do not know how but my feelings for you had changed with time" he smiled at me. "And I have noticed..."

"How?" I interrupted him.

He smiled. "I possess a gift that allows me to see the bonds and relationships people have between them and I have noticed you are getting too fond of Alec, and he is getting too fond of you as well"

"He is?" I smiled and he nodded. That explained some things. "You won't tell Aro, would you?"

"Why do you not want him to find out?"

"Because" I paused and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was going to tell Marcus, a vampire that hated me, about my plan. "I want to escape. And I wish..." I started to confess but Marcus interrupted me unintentionally.

"Escape?" he repeated and I nodded sheepishly. "Why do you want to escape, my dear?" he asked kindly.

I opened my mouth to response and keep telling him my plan but his voice yelled behind me. "Escape?!" I stood up and turned around to face him and in a gust of wind he was right in front of me. I felt Marcus's analyzing eyes all over us.

I looked straight at Alec's eyes, defiantly, and nodded without hesitation.  
I didn't want Alec to find about the second resolution this way, but, thank goodness, he didn't know that was the second resolution.

"Alec, she might have a reason why she wants to leave" Marcus said calmly.

"How can you leave this place? How can you leave us? Why do you want to leave us?" he said angrily. I knew he wouldn't but still I wanted him to.

"Why not?"

"Because Aro and Caius decided to let you live, they let you in our coven, in our family like they did with all of us"

"But haven't you wondered why?" I asked angrily before I could stop myself. I've been wondering that after all some stories the wives had told me.

I waited Marcus's reply or a yell from him or something but the silence told me he was gone.

"Why are you questioning their decision?" he fumed.

"Because this isn't a family! This is all a facade! They want us for a reason and it isn't because they like us. They are bad, evil, and they want us to be as evil as they are. I know you are your true self when you are around Jane and me, but in front of them you are this psycho doll that loves to make other vampires suffer" I looked at him the entire time.

He was silent for a moment but he kept looking at me with those burgundy eyes full of angry. "How can you think about us like that? How can you think about me like that?" he pursed his lips. "If you want to leave, then leave. But do not talk to me ever again" he left as he finished.

* * *

"Brother" Jane's voice startled me. "What happened?"

I was angry, really angry, but I tried to answer her normally. "Nothing"

"You are angry. I can tell by your body language" she narrowed her eyes. "Was it her?"

"No" I lied. "It is just... Never mind"

"You are not acting like yourself" she said. "You always talk to me. Now you are not telling me anything at all"

"How can you know who I really am? How can you be sure I am real me in front of you?" I said without thinking.

"What are you talking about? The real you? You are not even talking like yourself!"

I didn't respond. I just looked at her. Her eyes were hard, as always.

"Have you ever wondered why Aro saved us from burning?" I asked her.

"Are you questioning the decisions of the master?" she asked, stunned.

"No. I would never do that. It is just that I have been noticing that he had always wanted Edward and Alice and Bella with us, but just because of their gifts. Do you think he saved us because of that?"

She didn't answer. She was too shocked about what I said. So was I.

_Maybe that is what she meant._

"I have never thought about that because I am sure the master likes us and it was his decision to have us and I would never question his decisions" she said firmly. "When my brother comes back, I will talk with you"

She left and I kept thinking. Raen could be right but she couldn't leave.

* * *

It was a few nights after the fight. I was sitting on the snow-covered floor of the woods, deep in thought. I didn't feel sorry about what I said because it was the truth; it was what I really felt. But it hurt that he didn't want to talk to me.

I sighed and lay down. It was stupid. I couldn't stay there any longer just to wait for him. I knew he wouldn't come and even if he didn't know that was the plan, he made it out very clear. I also knew that what I wanted to do was risky and it wasn't going to be easy but if I didn't try, the worst scenario was that I would die trying.

"I have to go" I said out loud. "I have to leave" I said as if I wanted to convince myself.


End file.
